The authorities of the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR announced the evacuation of residents to the territory of Russia. The head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, indicated that they would be placed in the Rostov region "by agreement with the leadership" of Russia and the region. Pushilin claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will soon order the military to go on the offensive. The authorities of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have organized a mass centralized departure of the population to Russia since February 18, said the head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin.

“From today, February 18, a mass centralized departure of the population to the Russian Federation has been organized. First of all, women, children and the elderly are subject to evacuation, ”the head of the DPR said in an emergency appeal to the residents of the republic, published on his website.

According to Pushilin, in recent months, the authorities of the DPR and LPR have been daily recording Ukraine’s increase in the number of military and lethal weapons, including Smerch and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems and NLAW rocket kits along the entire line of contact.

“President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will soon give an order to the military to go on the offensive, to implement a plan to invade the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics,” Pushilin said. He stressed that “the enemy’s armed forces are in combat formations and are ready forceful capture of Donbass.”

Pushilin expressed confidence that the armed forces of the DPR are capable of protecting the civilian population and infrastructure, but if the Ukrainian side starts shelling the settlements of the DPR, the life and health of citizens may be in jeopardy.

“The evacuees will be provided with everything necessary. All conditions have been created for a quick transition at checkpoints. We kindly ask you to listen and make the right decision. Temporary departure will save the life and health of your loved ones," the head of the DPR emphasized.

Pushilin announced an agreement with the leadership of the Russian Federation to place citizens of the republic in the Rostov region.

He instructed the heads of enterprises and institutions to organize the departure of the families of employees, and the territorial defense headquarters to provide transport for the evacuation of the population.

The first buses with citizens of the DPR will leave on February 18 at 20:00 (Moscow time), Dmitry Shevchenko, head of the administration of the city of Yasinovataya, wrote on his Telegram channel.

Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news » Back to news »

Evacuate hundreds of thousands of people

The authorities of the DPR expect to evacuate several hundred thousand people to the Rostov Region. “Women, children, pensioners from all over the republic, from all regions,” a source in the DPR parliament told Interfax.

An agency source in emergency services specified that temporary accommodation centers in the Rostov region are ready to accept refugees from the DPR for as long as necessary.

“The end date has not been set. As long as it takes, so many people will be in accommodation points. Until it becomes safe,” he said.

In a conversation with the former Minister of Defense of the DPR, Igor Strelkov, he indicated that there was a sharp intensification of shelling of the front-line zone.

“I know that the evacuation began in Dokuchaevsk, because this settlement is surrounded on three sides by Ukrainian troops and is located in the likely direction of one of the strikes of the Ukrainian armed forces,” he said. It is unlikely that we are talking about the evacuation of those areas that are not under fire from Ukrainian artillery, Strelkov expressed his opinion.

According to him, there are no means of transport at the disposal of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the republic for large-scale evacuation. In fact, people are invited to evacuate completely on their own," Strelkov said.

He noted that some actions are being taken in Donetsk in this direction, but "Pushilin's appeal is not enough for a mass evacuation."

Back to news » Back to news »

LPR residents are also evacuating

The head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, also called on residents to evacuate to Russia.

“In order to prevent civilian casualties, I call on residents of the republics who do not have mobilization orders, as well as those who are not involved in the life support of social and civil infrastructure, to leave for the territory of the Russian Federation as soon as possible,” the Luhansk information center quotes him.

Pasechnik instructed the heads of territories, law enforcement agencies, and emergency services to ensure an organized evacuation of social facilities and help the population to be delivered to border checkpoints.

He separately addressed "to all men capable of holding weapons" with a request to "stand up for the defense of their land."

Back to news »

The position of the Russian authorities

Victor Vodolatsky, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, believes that the Rostov Region has enough experience to accept refugees.“There are already well-established actions in terms of accepting refugees, and people who will cross the border will not have big problems,” he told TASS. - If a mass movement of people begins, they will be provided with everything necessary - both medical and social care, food will be organized. The Rostov region will cope with this task.”

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that he was unaware of what was happening in the DNR.

“I don’t know what is happening there now,” Peskov said, answering questions about the evacuation. He also indicated that he did not know whether such actions were coordinated with Moscow.

The administration of the governor of the Rostov region reported that so far they have no information about the planned deployment of temporary accommodation centers for refugees. The Rostov authorities told Znak.com that they only know about the decision of the head of the DPR from the news.

Back to news »

The aggravation of the situation in Donbass

On February 17, the people's militia of the DPR and the Ukrainian military accused each other of shelling on the line of contact. The DPR announced a "sharp aggravation" of the situation.

According to the DPR authorities, the Ukrainian security forces shelled the village of Yelenovka and the village of Signalnoe in the Donetsk direction, the villages of Petrovskoye and Novolaspa in the Mariupol direction, as well as the villages of the mines named after Gagarin and Izotov in the Gorlovka direction. The DPR reported that 82 mm mortars, small arms and grenade launchers were used during the shelling.

The armed forces of Ukraine, in turn, announced the shelling of the village of Luhanska. According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, shells hit a kindergarten, and two civilians were injured. Half of the village was left without electricity.

The Kremlin called the situation in the Donbass extremely alarming. “What is happening in the Donbass is very disturbing news, it causes a feeling of anxiety. Potentially, they are very dangerous,” said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that the key to restoring civil peace in Ukraine and relieving tensions is the implementation of the Minsk agreements. “All Kiev needs to do is sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of Donbass and agree on political, military, economic and humanitarian measures to end this conflict,” Putin said. “The sooner this happens, the better,” TASS quoted Putin as saying.

“Unfortunately, right now we are seeing, on the contrary, an aggravation of the situation in Donbas,” the president stated.

bbabo.Net