kyiv orders the evacuation of children and their parents in five villages near the front in the east

On Tuesday June 25, the Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation “forced” children and their parents from five villages in the eastern Donetsk region. This measure concerns “children with their parents or other legal representatives” living in localities near the area where fighting has intensified in recent weeks, Governor Vadym Filashkin said on social media, listing villages near areas where Russian forces have gained ground.

In recent months, Moscow has subjected eastern Ukraine to constant assaults, nibbling away at the expense of a Ukrainian army that is undermanned and lacking in weapons. In recent weeks, the governor has urged civilians to flee the region due to the increasing death toll from Russian bombing.

Shortly after the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky had already urged Ukrainians to leave this war-devastated region, recommendations which were not always followed by the population.