Mary Akopian: Ukraine seeks to integrate into the EU Civil Protection Mechanism
This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine today, June 28, during the seventh meeting of the European Civil Protection Forum in Brussels.
Mary Akopian expressed gratitude to the world community for the support of Ukraine, which has already resisted the Russian invasion for more than four places and defends not only its territorial integrity, but also basic democratic principles.
“I thank our European friends, the entire international community for unwavering support for Ukraine in this extremely difficult time for our country, when we are choosing our right to be free and independent in the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine,” said the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
Separately, she noted that the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs take an active part in repelling Russian aggression, while continuing to perform their main functions.
“Our law enforcement officers and rescuers are working today in maximum load mode: rescuing people from frontline towns under heavy artillery fire, freeing them from under rubble, eliminating fires caused by shelling, providing humanitarian aid, bringing water and food, medicine, and search “Disappear people, provide psychological assistance, and at the same time continue to fight crime, eliminate subversive groups, and deport liberated territories.”
Thus, since the beginning of the invasion, the police have registered about 20 thousand war crimes committed by Russian servicemen, 93 sabotage and intelligence groups have been exposed and 841 people allegedly involved in sabotage activities have been detained. At the same time, pyrotechnics of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine during the Russian invasion examined and cleared more than 62 thousand hectares of territory and neutralized 140 thousand explosive objects.
“This work is significantly complicated by the scale of the affected areas. After all, almost half of the territory of Ukraine, that is, on an area of about 300 thousand square kilometers, is contaminated with explosive precipices, moreover, approximately 19 thousand sq. km of this area is the water area of the reservoirs of Ukraine, as well as the Azov and Black Seas. Based on international experience, the estimated demining period will be 5-7 years,” said Mary Akopian.
She stressed that now the priority task for the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to properly provide the pyrotechnic units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the latest means for mine prevention activities and we need international support and involvement of all concerned governments of foreign countries, international and private organizations.
“In the context of Ukraine's approach to future EU membership, as a candidate country, and in order to fully integrate with European structures, Ukraine seeks to join the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which is the world's largest system of international coordinated emergency assistance. Taking into account the daily long struggle of the Ukrainian people with the Russian occupiers, our rescuers have gained extensive experience in performing tasks in the conditions of war, which we are ready to share and contribute to strengthening the civil protection system of the European Union. I ask you to support our desire to integrate into the Civil Protection Mechanism and I consider this step absolutely timely and mutually beneficial,” the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs summed up.
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
