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Ukraine has ordered the evacuation of children and their guardians from towns and villages in and around the frontline city of Kramatorsk, following a rise in Russian drone attacks, officials announced on Thursday.
Kramatorsk, with a pre-war population of around 147,000, lies roughly 20 kilometres from the front line in Donetsk, where Russian forces have concentrated much of their firepower since invading Ukraine in February 2022.
Despite Moscow’s claim last September to have annexed the industrial region along with three others, it does not have full military control over these areas.
“Due to the deterioration of the security situation in certain areas of the Kramatorsk city community, the mandatory evacuation of families with children has been announced,” the city council said on social media.
Authorities urged residents, especially families still in the affected settlements, to leave immediately, accompanied by evacuation service personnel.
Several districts within Kramatorsk city itself are included in the evacuation orders.
The city council said Russian forces had intensified strikes using inexpensive first-person-view drones, which have significantly altered the nature of combat along the sprawling front line in recent months.
Kramatorsk remains the largest civilian hub and garrison city in Donetsk under Ukrainian control, and was briefly captured by Kremlin-backed separatists in 2014.
