Ukraine has paid a high price to protect its borders, according to Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

Over 177 National Guard officers have died and at least 737 have been wounded in Donbas conflict so far, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, informed, ‘Interfax-Ukraina’ reports.

‘National Guard was established in March 2014. It repelled the enemy’s attacks, allowed us to conduct a country-wide mobilization and reinforce the army… But we’ve paid a high price: 177 National Guard officers have been killed and at least 737 have been wounded’, - Turchynov informed.

According to Turchynov, the National Guard possesses a very powerful arsenal of weapons: artillery, helicopters and tanks.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, stated, that at least 308 officer with departments of the Interior Ministry and the National Guard have died in east Ukraine conflict.