You're reading: Poltorak: National Guard blocks all entrances to Sloviansk

Ukrainian National Guard units have blocked all entrances to the town of Sloviansk (Donetsk region) as part of the second phase of an antiterrorist operation, National Guard Commander Stepan Poltorak, who is now in Donetsk region, has said.

“In order to prevent the terrorists from getting reinforcements, the
state leadership has decided to completely block the town of Sloviansk,”
reads a statement released by the Ukrainian Interior Ministry on
Friday.

Poltorak also said that the village of Cherkaske, north of Sloviansk, had been unblocked.

Earlier, First Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)
and Head of the SBU Anti-Terrorist Center Vasyl Krutov said that
participants of the antiterrorist operation would not storm Sloviansk as
this could lead to casualties among local residents.

“We will not sacrifice the lives of our citizens for the sake of some
victories, but these saboteurs and terrorists must answer for their
actions,” Krutov said.