On April 30 2018, the President of Ukraine signed the Order on the beginning of the Joint Forces Operation on ensuring the national security and defence, deflection and deterrence of Russia's armed aggression in the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
According to the Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the large-scale Anti-Terroristic Operation on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is completed. All units and military formations are now under the command of the Joint Operation Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Joint Forces Operation was mandated by the Law on the peculiarities of the state policy on ensuring the state sovereignty of Ukraine over temporarily occupied territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The new format of the operation in Donbas will improve the mechanism of coordination between the Armed Forces of Ukraine, special services, law-enforcement forces as well as civil administrations, necessary against the backdrop of hybrid provocations by the Russian forces.
Ongoing Russian military activity on the occupied territories of Ukraine is the only source of escalation.
Amidst Russian aggression, Ukraine remains committed to the Minsk agreements and peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbas.
Our position remains unchanged – full implementation of the Minsk agreements is the only way to resolve the conflict.
International community must continue efforts aimed increasing pressure on Russia, including sanctions.
Priority is the deployment of a full-fledged UN peacekeeping mission in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in order to ensure sustainable de-escalation of the situation on the ground and to facilitate progress on the MA implementation.