Ukraine orders mandatory evacuation of 46 settlements in Dnipropetrovsk

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian authorities have launched a mandatory evacuation for residents of 46 settlements in the Synelnyky district of the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region as fighting with Russian forces in the area intensifies, the Pokrovska territorial community announced on Tuesday.

"In order to preserve the life and health of the community residents, in connection with the increased threat to life and security, a decision was made to carry out mandatory evacuation from certain settlements of the Synelnyky District where hostilities are underway," the local authority stated in a post on social media.

The evacuation order, finalized following coordination meetings in late December, covers the village of Pokrovske and 45 other smaller settlements, including Andriivka, Bohodarivka, and Malynivka.

Officials confirmed that the village of Voloske in the Dniprovskyi district has been designated as the primary transit point for those fleeing the combat zone.

The local administration warned that, following the completion of the 30-day evacuation window, the provision of medical, social, administrative, and certain utility services will be suspended in the affected areas.

The announcement comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military commanders on Monday to continue work on a "security zone" along the border into 2026.

During a briefing, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed that Russian troops are already establishing such a zone in the Dnipropetrovsk region and are advancing toward the city of Zaporizhzhia.

Gerasimov further claimed that Russian forces have recently captured the settlements of Bohuslavka and Dibrova in the Kharkiv region while pushing further into the town of Lyman in the Donetsk region.