Russian proxies in Zaporizhzhia Oblast announce displacement of civilians from front-line settlements.

Russian occupation authorities in Zaporizhzhia Oblast plan to move 70,000 residents deeper into the occupied territories, a top Moscow-installed proxy Andrey Kozenko told Russian state-owned news agency TASS on May 5. Kozenko said the displacement had already started in the Polohy district, from which 500 civilians were relocated to the Russian-occupied city of Berdiansk. Earlier, Yevgeny Balitsky, the head of Russian occupation authorities in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, announced[1] the partial displacement of residents of 18 front-line settlements deeper into the occupied part of the region.

Yevhen Balytskyi called the displacement "evacuation" caused by alleged "increased enemy's shelling" of the Russian-occupied settlements. The settlements include Tymoshivka, Smyrnivka, Tarasivka, Orlianske, Molochansk, Kuibysheve, Pryshyb, Tokmak, Mala Bilozerka, Vasylivka, Velyka Bilozerka, Dniprorudne, Mykhailivka, Kamianka-Dniprovska, Enerhodar, Polohy, Kinski Rozdory, Rozivka. Last fall, amid Ukraine's counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast, Russian occupation authorities were also conducting a forced relocation[2] campaign in the region, calling it "evacuation."

Ukraine is expected to launch a major counteroffensive[3] in the coming weeks. The long-awaited counteroffensive is seen as a critical juncture to take back Ukrainian territory under Russian control.

Occupation authorities prepare evacuation plans in Zaporizhzhia Oblast Evacuation plans are being prepared by Russian authorities in the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine's National Resistance Center reported on May 1.

[4] The Kyiv Independent news desk

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References

  1. ^ announced (www.pravda.com.ua)
  2. ^ a forced relocation (kyivindependent.com)
  3. ^ counteroffensive (kyivindependent.com)
  4. ^ Occupation authorities prepare evacuation plans in Zaporizhzhia OblastEvacuation plans are being prepared by Russian authorities in the occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine's National Resistance Center reported on May 1. (kyivindependent.com)

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