Local authorities in Ukraine have issued evacuation orders for residents from multiple villages near the severely damaged northeastern city of Kupiansk due to the deteriorating security situation in the region, which has been heavily targeted by Russian attacks.
In a Telegram message, Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of northeastern Kharkiv region, announced that 409 families, including 601 children, were instructed to vacate 27 localities. Subsequently, another official disclosed to public broadcaster Suspilne that the evacuation list had been expanded to 40 localities.
Russian forces have been engaging in attacks and making advancements towards Kupiansk for several months, as part of their westward progression through central and Eastern Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. While the city was initially captured by Russian troops during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it was later reclaimed by Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently emphasized the defense of critical front-line areas, including Kupiansk, against Russian encroachment. Furthermore, he mentioned a Ukrainian counter-offensive in the vicinity of Dobropillia to the south.
Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that Moscow’s forces hold a strategic advantage across the front lines, while Ukraine’s top officer, Oleksandr Syrskyi, estimated the front line to span over 1,200 kilometers.
