Ukraine evacuates more locations in Sumy region
Kiev: The authorities in the north-eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy ordered the mandatory evacuation of 11 more locations on Saturday due to the constant threat of Russian shelling.
The military governor of the region, Oleh Hryhorov, signed the corresponding order, he posted on Facebook. More than 2,800 people are affected by the measure. In total, a mandatory evacuation has now been ordered for 213 settlements in the border region.
Russia intends to establish a so-called security zone along the border on Ukrainian territory in the Sumy region, purportedly to protect its own civilian population from Ukrainian attacks.
Last August, Ukrainian troops unexpectedly launched an advance from the Sumy region into the adjacent western Russian region of Kursk.
After months of fighting, the Ukrainian units largely had to withdraw, and Russian troops advanced into Ukrainian territory. Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years. (DPA)
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