Syniegubov: About 50 civilians remain in Vovchansk, death toll could be in dozens

The head of the Kharkiv regional military administration (RMA), Oleh Syniehubov, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"About 50 people are still there. If we take the government-controlled territory, almost everyone has left. The National Police is conducting house-to-house visits. Of course, this is done in full cooperation with our military. We are more concerned about the territory controlled by the occupation forces, as there are definitely people there. And they are in an extremely difficult situation and conditions. Because they did not want to leave there in time for a variety of reasons. I will not dwell on them now. We will have full information only after the de-occupation," Syniegubov said.

In his opinion, the death toll could reach several dozen.

"Again, we will have clear information only after the release. However, according to our data, it is dozens of people - given the degree of destruction of the city and the fact that there were people left there. Videos of the military from copters give grounds to believe so," said the head of the RMA.

The city's multi-storey buildings were almost completely destroyed, he added.

As reported, the Russians have been repeating their offensive in the north of Kharkiv region since 10 May. The occupation army managed to capture several settlements in Kharkiv district, and also controls part of Vovchansk in Chuhuiv district.

Photo: Kostyantyn Liberov