Donetsk, May 7. /ITAR-TASS/. Appointed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Prime Minister Aresiy Yatsenyuk visited the camp of security forces involved in the punitive operation in eastern Ukraine near Sloviansk, the press service of the Ukrainian government reports.

According to the press service, Yatsenyuk "gave Ukrainian defenders the first four of the 42 armored vehicles acquired under a special government program for the National Guard of Ukraine."

On Tuesday, the Verkhovna Rada granted the participants of punitive operation in eastern Ukraine the status of combatants. 251 MPs of 226 voted for the decision in the parliament.

Meanwhile, contradictory information comes from Sloviansk. Earlier, the representatives of the self-defense activists reported that Ukrainian troops fired from mortars checkpoint Andreevka village near Sloviansk.

Former candidate for president of Ukraine Natalia Korolevskaya said that people in Kramatorsk left without bread, and schools and kindergartens are closed in Sloviansk.

Korolevskaya noted that people in Donbass want protection and peace. "The anxiety is felt throughout today. Especially, when people see only a position of strength from Kiev, and do not see any desire for dialogue or compromise," she said.

The Central Election Commission has canceled the registration Korolevskaya as presidential candidate.

Ukrainian troops surrounded Sloviansk and did not allow civilians to leave it, ITAR-TASS reported earlier.