Ukraine prepares mandatory evacuation of residents from Donetsk Oblast, where more than 200,000 people remain

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers created the Coordination Headquarters, which will deal with the organization of evacuation from Donetsk Oblast. Evacuation will be mandatory: people who do not want to leave must sign a document certifying they understand the consequences of their decision, said Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk, who now leads the Headquarters.

According to Vereshchuk, the Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, asked the Ministry of Reintegration to create the Headquarters.

"Among the reasons, he names - and I think it is absolutely justified - preparation for the heating season. There is no gas supply in Donetsk Oblast [...], and there is no proper electricity supply. There will be no heat in Donetsk Oblast in the winter. This reason, as well as shellings, which are only intensifying, are the first," said Vereshchuk.

The authorities want to evacuate residents of Donetsk Oblast to safer regions. Now, 200,000-220,000 of our citizens remain in the area, including 52,000 children.

The evacuation of the residents of Donetsk Oblast, who are in the controlled territory, will be mandatory. If people refuse to go, they must sign a special refusal form confirming they realize and are aware of all the consequences and bear personal responsibility for their lives.

"We are a democratic country and cannot force anyone. However, this form will be mandatory, with a person's signature. Now we are only thinking about how to make sure that children do not suffer because of irresponsible parents who may think they will do better by leaving them at home," said the Minister.

She assured that the authorities already have a plan and an understanding of where people will be resettled. Evacuation will be carried out systematically and planned by "all modes of transport" so that no crisis situation arises in winter.

"One thing I'm really asking for: evacuate already. There are appropriate routes, there is our control. We will relocate people, they will not be left without warmth and without our attention," Vereshchuk assured.