Up to 350,000 civilians still stay in Donetsk region

"More than 1,200,000 people have been evacuated from the territory of the region, where 1,670,000 people permanently lived before the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to our calculations, 340,000-350,000 people stay in the region," Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, said during a briefing, Ukrinform reports.

According to his information, before the onset of cold weather, people return home to take warm things, take care of the house, and only then leave for safe cities.

Kyrylenko expressed his gratitude to the Government and Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk for organizing the mandatory evacuation launched in Donetsk region on August 2. Since then, more than 15,000 people have been evacuated from Donetsk region, particularly to Kirovohrad region.

Only the residents' consent and understanding that this process saves their health and lives is needed for evacuation, Kyrylenko noted.

The head of the Administration also noted that 831 people were killed and 2,072 more people were injured in Donetsk region, according to official data. However, it is currently impossible to determine the number of casualties in Mariupol and Volnovakha, Kyrylenko said, noting he did not rule out that there could be tens of thousands killed. It will be possible to identify all of them only after the de-occupation of Donetsk region, he added.

As reported, the Russians are constantly shelling Donetsk region, killing and injuring citizens, destroying the civilian infrastructure of the region. There has been no gas supply in the region for a long time, and water supply in many settlements.

ol