Residents of five-kilometre border zone are being evacuated in Sumy Oblast

The authorities are evacuating all residents of the five-kilometre zone in the Russian-bordering hromadas in Sumy Oblast (a hromada is a town or a village with adjacent settlements – ed.).

Source: Press office of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration, citing Volodymyr Artiukh, Head of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration

Details: The decision was made by the Regional Defence Council after a thorough analysis of the operational situation in the border regions.

Quote: "Constant shelling of border hromadas, the intensity of which has increased significantly recently, destroys infrastructure, facilities for life support, and houses.

And most importantly, our people are dying. A total of 35 civilians died from enemy shelling from January to July 2023, and last month, it was 17 people, including one child; they were killed by Russian troops in the border hromadas of the oblast.

People do not live here but survive – under constant shelling, without any electricity for weeks or even months. Shops, schools, and hospitals are often closed there. It is not possible to bring in the most essential food, medicine, etc. safely.

Under conditions of constant shelling, it is almost impossible to rebuild destroyed objects. The enemy acts insidiously and defiantly – they even deliberately fire at repair crews – recently, the workers of Sumyoblenergo [an oblast electricity distributor – ed.] who went to repair a damaged power line were killed."

Details: Artiukh says civilians who reside in the border settlements die not just from artillery fire. The head of Sumy Oblast Military Administration mentioned the brazen killing of foresters in the Svesa hromada and residents of the Shalyhyne hromada at the hands of Russian subversion and reconnaissance group, who have been entering this territory more and more recently.

It is emphasised that staying in a five-kilometre zone of civilian residents does not allow the Ukrainian military to repel Russian attacks effectively, to respond adequately because this will expose civilians to even greater danger.

Based on this, the Defence Council of the Sumy Oblast decided on the need to prepare and carry out an evacuation.

It is indicated that systematic preparatory work is currently being carried out to give residents of border settlements a decent alternative, away from the border in safe areas.

The Oblast Military Administration is preparing an order to evacuate people from the five-kilometre zone from the state border of Ukraine.

All plans, evacuation routes, algorithms of actions and interactions of all services, primarily local authorities and the military, have been worked out, the Oblast Military Administration says.

The authorities emphasise that the evacuation will be carried out with the appropriate cover by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in order not to give Russians any chance to carry out a provocation and put civilians in danger.

Evacuation will begin only after every family, every resident of the border has been explained their rights, provided with the necessary means and resources, and after every family in the border settlements is ready for relocation.

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