Some of the people deported from Izium to Russia have escaped to Ukraine

SVITLANA KIZILOVA – Monday, May 16 2022, 20:56

Some of the Izium residents deported to the territory of Russia by Russian troops, have been able to return to Ukraine through the European Union.

Source: the head of a department of Izium City Council Maksym Strelnyk, quoted by Public

Direct speech: "We know of cases where people were forcibly deported to Russia. Our residents, citizens of Ukraine, crossed the border at the "Chuhunovka" checkpoint, and then were taken to Belgorod, later they passed through the so-called filtration camps, and communicated with (Russian) special services, where their future in Russia was decided.

Some of these people went to relatives they have in Russia. Some people crossed the border with the EU in the Baltic countries, and through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, they were able to return to Ukraine".

Details: According to Strelnyk, more than 15,000 residents remain in Izium on May 16, and the occupying forces are refusing to evacuate people.

"The Russian occupiers have intensified their electronic warfare, and fewer and fewer locals can call their relatives, volunteers and local authorities. The city is in the middle of a humanitarian catastrophe. For more than a week, the occupiers have forbidden people to leave Izium even by their own transport. Before, it was possible to leave by certain routes. Now the city is completely cut off", - Strelnyk said.