Aftermath of a Russian drone strike in Sumy
Ukrainian authorities launch mass evacuation in northern region
Reuters: Ukrainian authorities have begun mass evacuations of communities in the country's northern Sumy region close to the Russian border after extended periods of intense shelling of the area, local officials said on Friday.
The military administration of Sumy region, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said more than 180 residents of areas near the Velikopysarska community, next to the border, had been evacuated over the past three days.
Authorities in Sumy have long been issuing daily reports of Russian shelling, but the attacks have intensified.
The regional administration said the areas in question were "the most tense" in Sumy region, with three people killed and 13 wounded over the past five days.
The administration said a total of more than 4,500 residents had been evacuated from 22 villages in Sumy region, but gave no time frame.
Velikopysarska is located a few kilometres from the village of Kozinka across the border in Russia - where local authorities this week said an incursion by armed groups caused considerable damage. The groups described themselves as being made up of Russians opposed to the Kremlin and said they were conducting a military operation in the area.
The governor of Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said shelling of areas under his jurisdiction continued on Thursday, with one person injured. Gladkov toured border areas late on Wednesday and said there were no enemy forces in the region.
The governor of the neighbouring Russian region of Kursk, Roman Starovoit, said air defence units had downed three Ukrainian drones on Thursday night.
Reuters was unable to verify accounts of military activity from either side.
-
- In World
- 16 March 2024 11:30
In World
-
Russia on Tuesday denounced Moldova's weekend election as unfair and said it did not see the winner, Maia Sandu, as the legitimate president of the country.
-
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday he had discussed with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock the "need for decisive action" in response to North Korean involvement in the war with Russia.
-
At least 10 people have died after a volcano erupted several times overnight in eastern Indonesia, the country’s second major volcanic eruption in two weeks.
-
A suspected leak of classified Gaza documents involving an aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has jolted Israeli politics and outraged the families of hostages held by Hamas who have been pushing for a deal to get their loved ones home.
Leave a review