Ukraine fortifying Donbas frontlines, including using Armed Forces personnel on first defense line

Military engineering and technical fortifications are being built in Donetsk Oblast. On the first line of defense, this is done by soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military administrations of settlements are involved in the construction of fortifications on the second line of defense, and the construction of the third line of defense is provided by state customers, Donetsk regional authorities said in response to a request from LIGA.net.

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According to the regional military administration, the construction of engineering and fortification structures on the first line of defense is carried out by service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations of the Defense Forces.

Military administrations of settlements in the region are involved in the construction of fortifications on the second line of defense, taking into account the limitations of the security component.

At the same time, the response noted that the Donetsk regional military administration does not ensure the construction of the first and second lines of defense. The construction of the third line of defense is provided by state contractors, in particular military administrations.

There are only four military-civilian administrations of settlements whose territorial communities are occupied and which are not engaged in the construction of defense lines.

The construction is provided with funds and within the limits of state budget expenditures, local budgets and other sources not prohibited by law, the response reads.

Servant of the People MP Oleksandr Fediyenko, commenting on the issue of creating a temporary special commission that combined two issues – fortifications and drones, said that currently, taking into account the dissemination of information and inspections, there are many questions about the effectiveness of spending money on the creation of fortification structures.

"There are always problems with everything. There are no problems only for those who do nothing. It is important to understand how critical these problems are, how they can be fixed and who is to blame," he stressed.

At the same time, he believes that problems with the issue of fortifications have been brewing for a long time and it is not connected with the Russian army's offensive on Kharkiv Oblast.

The lawmaker also noted that he is more interested in the issue of drones and means of electronic warfare.

"Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of talk about it, but being in the army, I see a crazy shortage of these means. Although the money has been spent," he added.

On May 12, the Ukrainian segment of social networks and some mass media spread information about the alleged lack of fortifications in the Kharkiv sector. In March, the State Border Guard Service explained to LIGA.net that in the north it is impossible to build fortifications on the border itself so they are being built "as close as possible" to where it can be done.

The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council claims that the information about the lack of defensive lines in Kharkiv Oblast is a Russian information and psychological operation.

Golos MP Solomiya Bobrovska reported that two of the most painful issues – fortifications and drones – have been combined into a temporary special commission of the Verkhovna Rada. The purpose of the TSC is to find out whether the works on the construction of fortifications were completed, to what extent, by whom and how budget funds were used.