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Ukraine has ordered families with children to leave Kramatorsk and Sloviansk on Thursday, the largest cities in the eastern Donetsk region still under its control.
The evacuation order comes as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues into its fifth year. The conflict remains Europe’s deadliest since World War II.
Russia has long sought full control of Donetsk, a region it claims as its own. Moscow has also threatened to seize the area by force if Ukraine refuses to surrender it through negotiations. Russian attacks on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk have killed dozens of people since early October.
Ukrainian media reports that Russian forces are now within 10 kilometres (six miles) of the cities’ outskirts. Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin announced the expanded evacuation order on Telegram on Thursday.
“We are expanding the mandatory evacuation zone for families with children — it now covers all settlements of the Kramatorsk and Sloviansk communities,” Filashkin said.
He warned that the security situation was getting worse and that Russian forces continued to attack the cities daily.
“The Russians attack Kramatorsk and Sloviansk every day, hitting residential neighbourhoods, civilian transport, and places where people gather,” he added.
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Authorities had ordered the evacuation of children from parts of the two cities earlier in October. However, Thursday’s announcement extended the order to cover the entire Kramatorsk and Sloviansk communities.
Ukraine’s Suspilne broadcaster reported earlier this month that hundreds of children remained in both cities as of mid-October, citing a regional official. Kramatorsk had a pre-war population of about 150,000 people. It has also served as a key supply hub for the Ukrainian military.
The city forms part of a defensive area known as the “fortress belt,” which Kyiv is fighting to retain as Russian forces continue their advance in eastern Ukraine.
