270 children remain in mandatory evacuation zone in Donetsk Oblast, most in Sloviansk

Anna Kovalenko - 9 July, 16:45

A child on a train. Stock photo: Getty Images

A total of 230 families with 270 children continue to live in the mandatory evacuation zone in settlements of Donetsk Oblast.

Source: Yuliia Ryzhakova, head of the children's affairs service at Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, as reported by Ukrinform

Details: Such families are living in five settlements of the hromada. The majority of children (172) are in certain districts of Sloviansk together with adults. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

Over the past week, 67 children from 59 families were forcibly evacuated from Donetsk Oblast. During June, 357 children from 230 families were evacuated from the oblast as a result of this effort.

Background:

Since March, Ukraine has permitted the mandatory evacuation of children from areas of active and potential combat operations even without parental consent. Young residents of dangerous settlements are taken out by guardianship and custody officers together with police officers.
In March, compulsory evacuation of children was declared from the most vulnerable districts of Sloviansk.
Russia carried out an airstrike on the central part of the city in March, killing four people and injuring 20. On the morning of 21 June, the Russians shelled Sloviansk, hitting a residential district.
On 7 July, Russian forces terrorised civilians in Donetsk Oblast, attacking with FPV drones and Molnia-2 UAVs and striking with the Uragan multiple-launch rocket system.

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