A total of 183 National Guard servicemen have died in Donbas when defending the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"Some 746 soldiers were injured, 183 soldier of the National Guard gave their lives defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, defending our freedom," the president said on Saturday during a visit to the training ground of the Stare educational center of the National Guard of Ukraine.

According to him, 1,040 National Guard servicemen were awarded state awards for personal bravery.

As reported, in March 2016 Poroshenko said that 180 soldiers of the National Guard died in Donbas defending the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.