On Saturday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the mandatory evacuation of Ukrainian-controlled settlements in the Donetsk region.
In his video message, the head of state said: "at the current stage of the war, Russia's main weapon is terror." Hundreds of thousands still live in the area - where fierce fighting is currently raging.
"The more people leave Donetsk, the fewer people the Russian army can kill," Zelensky added, underscoring that evacuation is inevitable despite the population's protests. He stressed: those leaving will receive compensation.
The president asked Ukrainians to talk to their acquaintances in the region and convince them of the need to leave.
According to Ukrainian news sources, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk said that the evacuation must be arranged before winter, because gas supply to the region has been made impossible.
Source: MTI
Featured image: MTI/AP
