A major Russian attack is expected...Kyiv calls on residents of eastern Ukraine to evacuate the area immediately
Kyiv called on residents of eastern Ukraine to evacuate the area "immediately" amid fears of a major Russian army attack on the Donbass basin, which has now become a primary target of the Kremlin.
Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk was quoted by the Integration Ministry on Telegram as saying that the regional authorities "call on residents to leave these lands and do everything possible to ensure that the evacuations take place in an orderly manner."
She added that this must be done "immediately" at the risk of "death" in the coming days.
She warned that if the Russian army launched a major offensive in the area, "we will not be able to help" the population because "it would be practically impossible to stop the fighting."
"We have to evacuate since that option is still available," said Vereshchuk, who has coordinated the organization of humanitarian corridors since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
At the moment, it is available.”
She considered that the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions in the north of the country last week was "not a goodwill gesture" from Moscow in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, but rather as a result of "the desire of our army, the authorities and all the Ukrainian people" to repel the Russians.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Tuesday that Russia was strengthening its ranks in order to "control the entire Donbass region" in eastern Ukraine and establish a "land bridge with Crimea" annexed by Moscow in 2014.
"The Russian forces have left the Kyiv region and northern Ukraine," he said.
Vladimir Putin is moving a large number of troops to the east in Russia.
(Moscow) will rearm and will receive reinforcements from soldiers because it has incurred major losses in its ranks, and is preparing to launch a major offensive in the Donbass region.
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