The first buses with residents of Donbass, who are being evacuated by the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, arrived in the Rostov region. It is reported by TASS.
According to the agency's correspondent at the checkpoint in Matveev Kurgan, the border was crossed by a bus "with Donetsk yellow numbers", which was accompanied by a car with special signals.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, more than 80 buses from Donbass arrived in Russia, TASS adds.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, acting head of the department Alexander Chupriyan, head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova and specialists from the Ministry of Health are currently sent to the Rostov region. This was reported on the website of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
“On behalf of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, a working group of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, headed by Acting Minister Alexander Chupriyan, was sent to the Rostov Region to organize a reception for citizens of the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics. Specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia have already carried out a preliminary assessment of the situation. Alexander Chupriyan set the task of providing all available checkpoints with places of heating and necessary medical care,” the press release says.
The heads of the DPR and LPR announced the evacuation of the civilian population today, February 18. Such a need in the republics was explained by an offensive operation, which is allegedly being prepared by the Ukrainian military. According to the head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, the Donetsk military daily records the increase in the number of lethal weapons by the Ukrainian army, including the Smerch and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, as well as the American Javelin and Stinger man-portable missile systems.
Subsequently, the preparation of the offensive was denied by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny. A similar statement was made by the secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov.
bbabo.Net