On September 17 within a framework of his working trip to Canada the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko participated in joint meeting of the House of Commons and the Senate of the Parliament of Canada. He also held meetings with the Prime-minister of Canada Stephen Harper, Governor General of Canada David Johnston, management of Ukrainian Canadian Congress and Ukrainian World Congress.
During his speech at the joint meeting of the House of Commons and the Senate of the Parliament of Canada the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko thanked the government officials of Canada and Ukrainians for extensive support of Ukraine. «I thank the Canadian government, opposition, members of Canadian parliament and senators, all Canadians and fellow Ukrainians for firm and appreciative position, for financial aid, technical upholding and provision of non-lethal military help, for support at international forums, such as UNO, NATO or G-7. It is extremely valuable for us», – stated the President of Ukraine.
During the working trip of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko to Canada the procedure of concluding an agreement on provision of loan guarantees for 200 million Canadian dollars to Ukraine on the side of the Canadian government was finalized.
The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko within the framework of his trip to Canada highly appreciated help of Canada during his meeting with the Prime-minister of Canada Stephen Harper highly evaluated the help of Canada in favouring national defence capability of Ukraine and allocating financial resources by the Canadian side to implement NATO initiative on the Armed Forces of Ukraine logistics and standardization systems improvement.
Canada is planning to provide 200 million dollars loan for economics renewal and stability provision.
The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during his meeting with Governor General of Canada David Johnston also discussed the issue of political support and economic aid from Canada to Ukraine and post-war building of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
Official visit of the President of Ukraine to the USA will start today.
In Washington the President of Ukraine will speak at joint meeting of the Houses of the Congress of the United States of America.
Meeting of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko with the President of the USA Barak Obama was scheduled too.
Besides, the visit agenda includes bilateral meetings of the head of Ukrainian state with the Vice-president of the USA Joseph Biden, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner, USA Secretary of State John Kerry.
Situation in the ATO zone
Ukrainian troops are fulfilling the order on ceasefire mode in the east.
At the same time attacks of ATO forces positions with fire on the side of terrorists continue. For instance, within 24 hours attacks were recorded in Donetsk region nearby Pisky, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, Oleksandrivka, Novomykhaylivka, Tonenke, Maloorlivka, Orlovo-Ivanivka, Nyzhnya Krynka, Tsentralnyi, Hranitne, Debaltseve, Donetske, Starohnativka populated localities.
In Luhansk region terrorists outshot populated localities nearby Hirske, Zolote, Olryekhove, Chornukhine, Stanytsya Luhanska, Syeverodonetsk and the town of Shchastya.
Due to massive bombardments on the side of terrorists the town of Shchastya suffered from serious destruction. It should be emphasized that in compliance with the articles of international conventions on rules and customs of was such bombardments of populated localities are qualified as war crime.
Terrorists and Russian troops continue outshooting airport in Donetsk using automatic and artillery weapon, in the neighborhood of which many residential buildings had already been destroyed. In particular, during last 24 hours our subdivisions shattered one assault attempt and recorded 4 attacks with fire.
One rescue worker of the State Service of Ukraine for Emergency Situations died and 3 servicemen were wounded within last 24 hours.
Militants are regrouping themselves around Debaltseve town in Donetsk region and are settling their positions at the approaches to Fashchivka and Tsentralne in Luhansk region, as well as Kirovske in Donetsk region.
According to the information collected, in fact all the military subdivisions of the Russian Federation situated in northern part of occupied Crimea, consisting of 4000 servicemen from Armyansk, Krasnoperekopsk, Dzhankoy, Voyinske, Azovske populated localities, were moved towards administrative border with mainland part of Ukraine with all the equipment and ammunition and located in small tactic groups from Karnikitska bay to Arabatska sandspit.
NATO official representative Oana Lungesku stated that the intention of Russia to conduct full-fledged deployment of Russian troops in the Crimean peninsula will aggravate tension in the region and undermine the existing armistice.
Air reconnaissance using pilotless aircrafts continues on the side of the Russian troops. During 24 hours border guards recorded 3 cases of this kind. One pilotless aircrafts was observed near Mariupol and two drones on the administrative border with temporarily occupied Crimea.
Yesterday Ukrainian border guards prevented illegal expert of arms and ammunition from the ATO area. While examining vehicle of people posing themselves as volunteers, on the road Kulykivske-Hurzuf nearby Mariupol a border detachment found 14 Ф-1 grenades, 1 РГД-5 grenade and 9 boxes of 7.62 mm bore rounds.
Situation in populated localities of the ATO zone
Due to combat activity 172.3 consumers were partially cut off the gas supply in 27 populated localities in Luhansk region. Gas supply to 128.6 consumers was renewed. Gas-distribution point at Luhansk heat power plant, which is the only source of electricity supply for consumers in the region, remains mined. At present the heat power plant does not function.
5 multi-storey buildings, 668 private houses, 1.2 thousand consumers in total and 30 enterprises remain without gas supply in Donetsk. In total, over one thousand residential buildings were damaged in the regional center. There are problems with water supply in some districts of the city. On September 19 treatment of drinking water coming from Siverskyi Donets River will stop. This will happen due to the fact that liquid chlorine supplies at Western filtration station of “Luhanskvoda” company are critically low and there is no possibility to replenish them, as the station is located in the territory temporarily controlled by militants. It may result in dramatic decline in sanitation and epidemiological situation in Luhansk region and cut-off in drinking water supply to Staphanov, Bryanka, Lysychansk, Pervomaysk, Alchevsk, Krasnyi Luchm Antratsyt, Petrovske and Popasna towns.
In a checkpoint in Oleksandrivsk of Artemivsk district council in Luhansk militants of “Luhansk People’s Republic” detained 4 lecturers of Luhansk State university of internal affairs named after Didorenko and moved them to the administrative building of the Administration of the State Security Service of Ukraine in Luhansk region.
Yesterday militants of so-called “Luhansk People’s Republic” liberated deputy head of Lysychansk town M. Holovnyov, whose detention had been reported earlier. At present he is in the place of his permanent residence. The circumstances of his detention and liberation are being investigated.
According to the information collected, terrorists of “Donetsk People’s Republic” are planning to repair damaged armoured vehicles at Yasynuvata machine-building plant.
Servicemen of State Special Service of Transport of the Ministry of infrastructure of Ukraine are strengthening the lines and positions of the Armed Forces in Donbas.
Servicemen of State Special Service of Transport are digging trenches and blindages, building cover positions for equipments and Ukrainian troops. For this purpose over 70 units of equipment were transported to the ATO zone and about 120 military railroaders involved into the works.
Military subdivisions of State Special Service of Transport are protecting bridges, rebuilding schools and clearing railway objects in the ATO zone of mines. In general, every third servicemen is involved in these works.
Response of international community to the events in Ukraine
France together with its international partners within EU and the majority of world countries does no acknowledge illegal annexation of Crimea. Thus, so-called local elections in Crimea are illegal and illegitimate, – the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France reads.
Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Robert Menendez (Democratic Party) and Senior Member of the Committee Bob Corker (Republican Party) presented a law project on supporting freedom in Ukraine, envisaging extending sanctions against Russia and increasing amount of help for our country, provision with lethal arms including, to the Congress of the USA.
Committee of the Ministers of the Council of Europe called upon the Russian Federation to withdraw their troops from the territory of Ukraine and refrain from any further military intrusion into Ukraine, including supply with military equipment, and to provide security on the Russian-Ukrainian border.