KIEV, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Next month's presidential election in Ukraine will be held amid heightened security measures, the country's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

According to preliminary estimates, between 60,000 and 62,000 law enforcement officers will be deployed across the Eastern European country to ensure the smooth run of the voting process, the ministry said in a statement.

In particular, officers of the National Police, the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service will patrol the polling stations, the statement said.

Special attention will be paid to security in the conflict-hit area in eastern Ukraine, it said.

Ukraine is set to hold the presidential election on March 31 with a record number of 44 candidates.