Ukrainian authorities have ordered the forced evacuation of families with children from 16 localities in Kharkiv region due to escalating Russian attacks, as announced by Governor Oleg Synegubov. A total of 267 children and their families are set to be evacuated from areas close to the front lines.
On Thursday, a 54-year-old woman was killed by an explosive drone in the region. Kupiansk, a key railway hub with a pre-war population of 24,000, was occupied by Russian forces early in the conflict but was reclaimed by Ukrainian troops in a swift counteroffensive in the fall of 2022.
The region has become a de facto frontline, with Russian forces making significant advances. Recent developments indicate that Russian troops are now only a few kilometers from Pokrovsk, a crucial city for military logistics and coal industry, threatening its southern and eastern flanks.
Since the invasion on February 24, 2022, the conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties on both sides. The past months have seen large-scale aerial attacks by Russia against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Ukraine has targeted Russian positions near the border and in Crimea, annexed in 2014.
As the war enters its third year, the Ukrainian Armed Forces face shortages in personnel and ammunition, despite ongoing pledges of support from Western allies. Russian forces continue their advance in the eastern front, while negotiations between the two parties remain stalled since spring 2022, with Moscow insisting on Ukraine's acceptance of territorial annexations.