Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman says the Ukrainian side is ready to repel any potential threats that could arise over the conflict between militant groups in the so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic”.
"God forbid that peaceful Ukrainians now living in the temporarily occupied territories are affected,” Groysman told journalists during his working visit to the Poltava region.
“I’ve always said that they are like in prison there now... I would like this showdown between militants to end up in them wiping each other out, with no harm to civilians at the same time,” he said.
Read alsoSplit in "LPR" explained
As UNIAN reported earlier, according to a member of the collegium of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, People's Deputy Anton Herashchenko, on November 21, a conflict broke out in Luhansk between the ringleaders of the "LPR", Igor Plotnitsky and Igor Kornet, while militant groups controlled the leader of the neighboring "DPR" terrorist organization, Alexander Zakharchenko, and the Russian FSB, have also become involved in the confrontation.
Read alsoUkrainian troops improve "tactical position" in Luhansk region
Amid escalation in the militant stronghold of Luhansk, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko convened an extraordinary meeting of the War Cabinet of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, stating readiness of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to ensure the safety of civilians no matter further developments on the ground.