Mandatory evacuation begins in Donetsk region

Mandatory evacuation in the Donetsk region has begun.

According to Ukrinform, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said this in a Telegram post.

"The first train arrived in Kropyvnytskyi this morning. Women, children, elderly people, many people with reduced mobility. Everyone was met and accommodated, everyone was helped," she wrote.

Vereshchuk thanked local services, international organizations and volunteers, as well as personally the head of the Kirovohrad region, Andriy Raikovych, and his team.

On July 29, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine set up a coordination headquarters that will organize the evacuation of people from the Donetsk region. Vereshchuk was chosen as its head. The headquarters includes representatives of ministries, law enforcement agencies and military administrations.

The evacuation of those living in unoccupied areas of the Donetsk region is expected to last until the beginning of the heating season.

President Volodymyr Zelensky called on residents of the Donbas to evacuate.