NSDC Chief Oleksiy Danilov Explains Separation of Forces in Donbas

03 December 2019 20:38

Head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine explained the actions his institution takes preceding each separation of forces in the Donbas and quelled worries of those Ukrainians who view recent events as surrender to the Russian Federation.

Speaking at the panel discussion "Ceasefire and Disengagement of Troops in Donbas" within the framework of the National Platform "Dialogue on Peace and Safe Reintegration" in Kyiv, Ukraine on November 28, Oleksiy Danilov refuted the common opinion that measures are taken on the spur of the moment.

Before we start the process of separation of forces, the first deputy secretary of the NSDC Colonel-General [Mykhailo] Koval who is a very experienced person spent almost a month in the area studying the situation, what, where and how we can do it – what we can do to prevent the issues we are being asked about that someone would come in and occupy the area.

Danilov reassured the people that everything the authorities do they “do in the interests of the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian state”. He played down the view expressed by a part of Ukrainian society that the enemy could just come in and occupy the area from which Ukrainian troops withdrew at once.

NSDC chief ended his Q&A session by outlining his agency’s tasks: “Peace in our homes, return of our citizens home, [as well as] ceasefire.”

Danilov didn’t forget to mention the issue of Crimea either by promising to bring it back on the agenda later.

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