Ukrainian troops participating in operation in south-east have no protective equipment

The Kiev authorities do not provide enough personal protective equipment for troops participating in the operation in south-eastern Ukraine, local media reported.

There are only ten sets of protective equipment for 1,000 soldiers. Media report that soldiers refuse to serve in the east of the country "because no sufficient protective equipment is given to them".

Ukrainian soldiers also complain of poor nutrition. In connection with the information, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy noted soldiers often were not given necessary food because of bureaucracy in the mechanism of supply for the army's needs.

Earlier, a deputy from the Freedom party, Oleksandr Melnik, told a parliament meeting that Ukrainian troops in the zone of the operation were not provided with combat equipment. Parents of soldiers had told them about it, he said.
He also noted there was no rotation of servicemen. "People have been there for three months, but they need to go out and rest. And the Defense Ministry says there are no people to replace them. Where is mobilization? Where are the people who stated they were ready to fight?" the legislator said. He also noted wounded people in hospitals received "acute respiratory viral infection diagnoses". "Nothing has changed in our army. Generals who served under Viktor Yanukovych continue to lie and destroy the army," Melnik stated.

The Freedom party's deputies demanded an immediate report from the Defense Ministry to the parliament about the situation in the zone of the special operation.