A Ukrainian law enforcement officer was seriously injured during protests in central Ukraine against the placement of evacuees from China, as the demonstrators feared the spread of the novel coronavirus, officially dubbed COVID-19, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said
KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) A Ukrainian law enforcement officer was seriously injured during protests in central Ukraine against the placement of evacuees from China, as the demonstrators feared the spread of the novel coronavirus, officially dubbed COVID-19, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian authorities evacuated 73 people both Ukrainians and foreigners from China, which is currently plagued by an outbreak of the virus, with the plan to take them to the Interior Ministry's health center located in the Novy Sanzhary district of the Poltava Region. However, the initiative was met with outrage as locals greeted the evacuees by throwing stones and screaming at them, resulting in clashes with police.
"Nine policemen were hurt, one was seriously injured," Avakov said, according to the ministry.
The interior minister thanked the police, the emergency services and other agencies for their work in Novy Sanzhary, and mentioned punishing the detained rioters.
"We will decide their punishment," he added.
On December 31, the Chinese authorities reported an outbreak of pneumonia of an unknown origin in Wuhan. The cause was later determined to be a new type of coronavirus. It has since spread to more than 25 countries.
