Authorities in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region called on Wednesday for civilians to leave the area “while it is safe”, warning that Russian bombardment could cut off escape routes.
Ukraine has said that the Russian troops that invaded on February 24 are regrouping and preparing a new offensive in the Donbas area, which includes this region that is controlled in part by the pro-Russian authorities of the self-proclaimed people’s republic.
Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk has announced that Ukraine intended to open 11 humanitarian corridors on Wednesday to evacuate civilians. “We will get everyone out if the Russians allow us to get to the meeting places (for evacuation). Because, as you can see, they do not always respect the ceasefire,” said the Governor of the Lugansk region, Serhi Gaidai, through a message posted on Telegram.
“I appeal to all residents of the Lugansk region: evacuate while it is safe… As long as there are buses and trains, take advantage of this opportunity,” warned the head of that region, in statements collected by Reuters.
Damage to railway connections and attack on Donetsk
Gaidai has warned that rail links in the Donetsk region of Donbas had been damaged this week and took several hours to repair. “This is another alarm signal”, he has assessed.
Gaidai also explained in a videotaped speech that Russian forces had failed to break through Ukrainian defenses in their region, but were destroying “everything in their path” and “would stop at nothing.”
Ukrainian authorities have also reported on Wednesday the death of two people in an attack by Russian forces on a humanitarian aid distribution point in the town of Vugledar, located in the Donetsk region.
“The humanitarian aid delivery point in Vugledar has been attacked with artillery by Russian fascists,” said the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Pavli Kirilenko. “There are two dead and five wounded,” he added.
If you can – evacuate”
Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk and military administrations have called for the evacuation of residents of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, while there is such an opportunity.
Vereshchuk’s direct speech: “The heads of the military administrations of Kharkiv, Luhansk and Donbass are asking the population to leave the borders of the regions and are doing everything to ensure that the evacuation is organized.
This is necessary now, because then people will be under fire and threatened with death. There is nothing they can do about it, and we can’t help it. Because it will be almost impossible to stop the fire. We need to evacuate while there is such an opportunity. While she is still there.