KYIV: Ukraine on Sunday announced a mandatory evacuation of children and their guardians from several towns in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces have been claiming advances amid intensifying conflict. Russia claimed capturing a new village in the area, following recent territorial gains.
The Ukrainian government has instructed the relocation of 744 children and their families from towns and villages within the Donetsk region, which has seen increased bombardment by Russian forces. Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin announced the evacuation plan on Sunday.
“The enemy is bombing the towns and villages of these communities every day,” Filashkin said. The towns and villages slated for evacuation include Novogrodovka, which is approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Novoselivka Persha, a village that Russia claimed to have captured earlier the same day.
To ensure the safety of the evacuees, Filashkin has mandated the use of armored vehicles for the evacuation process. “The enemy is actively using first-person view drones in these communities,” he noted.
The evacuation order reflects the severe conditions in the Donetsk region, where increased Russian bombardments have heightened fears for civilian safety. The conflict, now in its third year, has resulted in a protracted stalemate, with neither Kyiv nor Moscow managing to achieve a decisive victory despite recent Russian advances.
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Russia’s claims of capturing additional villages in Donetsk follow its 2022 annexation of the region, along with three others in eastern and southern Ukraine. However, despite these claims, Russia does not fully control any of the annexed regions, and fighting continues.
