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Ukraine evacuates thousands from Donetsk ahead of winter

A Ukrainian deminer climbs debris near the damaged building of a clinical medical laboratory in the the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on August 9, 2022. (Photo by AFP)

Ukraine says it has evacuated at least 3,000 people from the eastern region of Donetsk in the last six days, as part of compulsory evacuations ahead of winter.

The deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, Kyrylo Timoshenko, said in a statement on Tuesday that among those evacuated were "almost 600 children and 1,400 women."

"Obligatory evacuations continue," he said.

Kiev launched compulsory evacuations from the eastern Donetsk region last week since it does not expect to be able to provide the residents with heat in the upcoming cold winter months. According to Timoshenko, around 1.3 million people were evacuated from Donetsk since Russia launched the military invasion against Ukraine in February 24.

"Now on the territory of the region, there is a population of 350,000, including 50,000 children," he said.

The eastern Donbass region, which is comprised of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province, is almost entirely captured by Russian forces. At the beginning of July, Moscow claimed it had taken control all of Luhansk oblast bordering Russia in southeastern Ukraine.

Before the offensive against Ukraine began, Russia passed a bill to officially recognize the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine as independent states. The bill was approved by President Vladimir Putin.

Putin said formerly that one of the goals of the invasion was to "de-Nazify" the country.


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