Ukrainian Rada ordered National Security and Defence Council to hold meeting on Kharkiv situation

The situation in the city is expected to escalate this weekend.

At a closed meeting today, the Verkhovna Rada ordered the National Security and Defence Council to hold a meeting to discuss the ways to prevent the escalation of the situation in Kharkiv.

LB.ua has learnt it from sources in the parliament.

Acting minister of defence Mykhailo Koval, interior minister Arsen Avakov and Security Service chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko read their reports. The acting defence minister said strict measures would be used against those blocking Ukrainian troops in the country's east.

A number of MPs turned attention of the law-enforcement officials to the fact that the escalation of the situation was expected in Kharkiv at the weekend. The Rada ordered the security agencies to discuss the countermeasures.

Avakov was criticised for beating activists by the police on April 12. The activists were going to visit a rally for united Ukraine in Kharkiv. The interior ministers admitted the police officers had partially exceeded their powers.

Security Service chief Nalyvaichenko said earlier 23 officers of Russia's Main Intelligence Department had been detained.