Lithuanian Foreign Minister Visited ATO Zone In Donbass Region
- 18.03.2016, 10:38
- 3,448
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius became the first European politician to visit Donbass after the beginning of the military conflict.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius visited the location of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Shirokino of Donetsk region, close to the boundary line of the conflict sides in Donbas.
PHOTO: MARIUS JANUKONIS / TWITTER
The politician posted the photos of the anti-terrorist operation zone on his Twitter, charter97.org reports.
“I am proud to visit the Ukrainian soldiers on the front line in Shirokino They protect freedom and European values,” – Linkevičius wrote.
Proud to visit #Ukrainian soldiers at frontline (#Shyrokyne)- they defend #freedom & #European values, @PavloKlimkin pic.twitter.com/WHdh2PgFxS
— Linas Linkevicius (@LinkeviciusL) 16 марта 2016 г.
The Minister also visited Mariupol, where he met with students. He said that Lithuania had allocated 40 scholarships for Ukrainian students to study at Lithuanian universities.
Linkevičius was the first European politician to visit Donbass after the Russian military aggression started in 2014.
Shirokino is a village on the shore of the Azov Sea, where 1,400 people used to live before the military conflict. A mop-up operation was held in the settlement in February last year, afterwards the battles were conducted there for several months. Shirokino passed under full control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in late February 2016.
