During his working visit to Slavutych, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on the security situation and prospects for the development of the city and the exclusion zone.
The Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, and the Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, Oleksandr Pivnenko, reported on the defense and protection measures for the Chornobyl NPP and Slavutych, and on the construction of fortifications.
The Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Serhiy Deyneko, informed about the state border protection near the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and the city.
The Head of the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kyiv and Kyiv region, Artem Bondarenko, spoke about the counterintelligence activities in the region.
The mayor of Slavutych, Yuriy Fomichev, drew attention to the logistical problem: because of the destroyed bridge crossings and the inability to use old railroad connections, Chornobyl NPP personnel have to spend up to six hours getting to work.
The Head of State tasked Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, to address the issue of direct train connection between Slavutych and Kyiv, without a stopover in Chernihiv.
The Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Ruslan Strilets, briefed on the implementation of the government-approved exclusion zone development strategy. It is aimed, in particular, at developing wind and solar energy. Ruslan Strilets noted that agreements have already been reached with a German company and a British one to implement these projects.
He added that the Chornobyl NPP lost UAH 3 billion due to the occupation by the Russian invaders. The state is now actively engaging donors for assistance. 19 countries have already contributed to the special fund, and the total contribution amount has reached EUR 14 million and will increase by the end of the year. The funds will be used to improve equipment and working conditions and to purchase the necessary machinery.
The parties also discussed the arrangement of school shelters and the development and support for business.
In addition, the President assigned the Minister of Health Viktor Liashko to elaborate a strategy for the local hospital development given the new circumstances and to improve the material and technical base of the institution accordingly.
