Mandatory evacuations have been announced in the Ukrainian city of Kupjansk, as well as three neighboring settlements, due to the advance of Russian forces. The Kyiv Independent writes that the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, announced the evacuation orders.
Cars with loudspeakers were filmed in the city announcing the city has no food, water, electricity or gas, and all residents must evacuate.
🇺🇦🇷🇺 Evacuation orders issued in the Ukrainian city of Kupyansk due to an imminent Russian assault.
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 16, 2024
A car with a loudspeaker announces that evacuation is necessary as there is no electricity, gas, or water in the city, and it is impossible to restore them. pic.twitter.com/GvlFHRI0ZG
Kupjansk is a key strategic city in the Kharkiv region, which has been the subject of heavy attacks in recent months.
“Due to the security situation, a decision was made to step up measures to evacuate civilians in the Kupjansk district, including the city of Kupjansk,” Syniehubov said in a televised statement.
🇺🇦🇰🇵 Zelensky: North Korean troops are fighting with the Russians. pic.twitter.com/8E2zZnQ2s5
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 16, 2024
He added that looking at the entire region, the situation in the Kupjansk sector is the most difficult right now. “Due to the continuous shelling, we can no longer guarantee the restoration of electricity, heat and water supply,” he said.
According to a report from Russian state media Tass, Russian troops maintain fire control over the road towards the suburbs of Kupjansk in the Kharkiv region; this gives Russia control over the movement of the Ukrainian forces and prevents them from performing a rotation, according to Vitaly Ganchev, the head of the Kharkiv military-civilian administration.
“The combat situation in the Kharkiv area is still active, I could say. Our fighters are still pushing the enemy in the Svatove-Kupjansk area. Having broken the enemy’s line of defense, we managed to (gain control) over a highway connecting several settlements. We have control over the Kruglyanovka area, which is almost the Kupjansk suburbs, just to the south along the Oskol River,” he told the agency.
Ukraine has seen pressure along a broad swathe of the frontline, as well as in Kursk on Russian territory, where Ukrainian forces are being pushed back.
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