Poroshenko instructs foreign, defense ministries to involve NATO in de-mining of exploded arms depot near Balaklia

22:22, 23.03.2017 1 min read

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has instructed the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Defense Ministry along with the State Emergency Situations Service to involve NATO's assistance in mine clearing in near the town of Balaklia in Kharkiv region.

"[I've] given urgent instructions to the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the State Emergency Situations Service to engage NATO for humanitarian [assistance in] mine clearing in Balaklia," he wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening.

There were explosions at artillery ammo depots of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry near Balaklia in Kharkiv region on Thursday, March 23, which resulted in the evacuation of almost 20,000 local residents.