tension rises, evacuations of civilians continue in the Donbass

Men from the Donbass region have just received the order, on Sunday February 20, to report to a recruitment center for Russian separatist troops in the suburbs of Donetsk (Ukraine). All must be ready to leave immediately, in order to join the units of combatants present on the front. As luggage they have a small bag. “I have food, a toilet bag, cigarettes. This is for the first few days. They said to take the bare necessities“, testifies a young man of 19 years.

Faced with renewed tension in recent hours, these men will first receive military training. At the same time, the evacuation of thousands of civilians from Donbass to Russian territory continues. Buses and trains are chartered to escort women and children to the border. Nearly 30,000 people have already left. These populations join makeshift camps set up by the Russian government.

Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Poutine spoke in the morning. According to the Élysée, they agree on the “need to favor a diplomatic solution to the current crisis and to do everything to achieve it“.