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60,000 expected to turn up for the presidential debates in Kiev

The election debates between the candidates are scheduled for April 19 at 19:00 local time

Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko

© Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

KIEV, April 17. /TASS/. Around 60,000 people are expected to fill up the Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex (Olympic Stadium) in Kiev to watch the debates of presidential hopefuls Vladimir Zelensky and Pyotr Poroshenko on April 19, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Wednesday.

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"We expect up to 60,000 people to turn up to support the candidates and listen to the debates," he pointed out.

According to the minister, 10,000 police officers will ensure security at the Stadium. "During the debates we will deploy up to 10,000 people both inside the Stadium and outside," Avakov reported.

At the same time, Avakov admitted that the candidates still don’t see eye to eye when it comes to the format of the debates at the Olympic Stadium, which can affect the security of the event. "We see certain differences on the details which can endanger the security," he stressed. According to the politician, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry representatives will meet with the election campaign staffs of both candidates on Wednesday at 17:00 local time to resolve this issue.

The election debates between the candidates are scheduled for April 19 at 19:00 local time at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.

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EU Commissioner for Justice calls on members states to step up assistance to Ukraine

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NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

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Russia rejects Korean scenario for freezing Ukraine conflict — foreign intel chief

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US did not contact Russia after use of Oreshnik missile — Deputy Foreign Minister

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Russia gave OPCW over 30 reports proving Ukraine used banned substances, official says

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

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Ukrainian forces indiscriminately shoot Selidovo passers-by — Russian envoy

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Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that the Biden administration is "trying to start a nuclear war and use it as the reason to stop the transfer of power to Donald Trump"

Putin calls on CIS intelligence agencies to prevent instability

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The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

New EU sanctions on Russia may target 80 individuals, entities — agency

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According to the top Russian diplomat, the West actively uses an extensive network of non-governmental organizations "to create domestic instability in the countries of the Global South and the Global East"

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, energy sites over day — top brass

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Russia’s Medvedev warns Europe could face 'catastrophic damage' from Oreshnik missile

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