Mandatory Evacuations of Children Underway in Kharkiv Region Amid Russia’s Offensive

Ukrainian authorities are working to evacuate all children from the Zolochiv community in the Kharkiv region where Russia launched a new offensive in May.

According to Zolochiv’s military administration head Viktor Kovalenko, local authorities have initiated mandatory evacuations for children residing in six villages within the Zolochiv community: Ivashky, Oleksandrivka, Perovske, Basove, Tymofiivka, and Vidrodzhenivske.

On May 10, Russia launched a new wave of offensive actions in the Kharkiv region. The center of the Zolochiv community, Zolochiv village, is located around 15 kilometers south of the border with Russia and 65 kilometers west of Vovchansk, where active hostilities are taking place.

According to Kovalenko, all children left the village of Ivashky and only one child out of 47 remains in the village of Oleksandrivka.

People have three options for temporary accommodation: with relatives in alternative settlements, in accommodated dormitories assigned by the authorities in the Kharkiv region, or going to Zolochiv’s eponymous sister city in Lviv.