Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of families with children from more settlements in the eastern Kharkiv region due to the "worsening security situation" around the city of Kupyansk, where fighting has been going on for a long time, DPA reported, BTA reported.
Regional governor Oleg Sinekhubov said today that the evacuation affects 40 settlements and 409 families with 601 children.
Kupyansk, which has been almost completely destroyed by Russian attacks, is of strategic importance due to its location and the fact that it is an important transport hub. Several settlements in the area were previously evacuated as Russian forces attempt to advance westward.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation in the Kupyansk sector of the front as "complex" in late September.
Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian invasion for more than three and a half years.