MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. The Ukrainian government has allocated $144 million in 2024 to equip fortifications along the border in the Kharkov Region, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said.

"This year, the government has earmarked 5.9 billion hryvnias ($144 million at the exchange rate of Ukraine’s National Bank - TASS) for the construction of fortifications in the Kharkov Region," Shmygal wrote on his Telegram channel, attaching a photo of the construction site.

The Ukrainian prime minister chaired a government meeting held in the Kharkov Region on Friday. He recalled that in June the cabinet of ministers allocated 2.5 billion hryvnias ($61 million) to the region so that it can get ready for the heating season. According to Shmygal, today it was decided to allocate 1.9 billion hryvnias ($46.5 million) to restore heat supply in Kharkov. According to Shmygal, the government has given the Kharkov Region additional 12.1 billion hryvnias (nearly $296 million) since the beginning of the year.

After being criticized by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who accused officials of being ignorant about the situation in the problematic regions, Shmygal, whose possible dismissal has again grabbed the headlines of Ukrainian media outlets, has held his second meeting in the region close to the combat zone. Last week, he visited the Kiev-controlled areas of the Donetsk Region.