KIEV, June 19./ITAR-TASS/. The Ukrainian parliament has approved transfer of 600 million hryvnia (over $50 million) saved in the May 25 presidential elections for the army's needs. The parliament approved the decision by a vote of 268 deputies.

The early presidential elections were held in one round without a runoff, and about 600 million hryvnia from the state budget were saved, the parliament said in its explanatory note.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko instructed the government to use the saved funds to meet the needs of the armed forces participating in the military operation.

The funds will be used to finance the military, improve armament of personnel and provide protective and other equipment for Ukrainian soldiers.

The use of the funds to finance the army, to provide it with needed material resources and ensure social protection of servicemen will allow the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to solve a number of problems, the president believes.