The Ministry for Communities and Territories Development reported on Monday that, since June 1, nearly 147,000 Ukrainian citizens have been evacuated from the invasion’s frontline areas to safer regions.
This number included more than 16,500 children and more than 5,000 people with limited mobility, including the elderly and those with disabilities.
Specifically, about 92,400 people were evacuated from the Donetsk region, more than 35,000 from Dnipropetrovsk region, more than 4,400 from Sumy region, more than 3,700 from Kherson region, some 8,300 from Kharkiv region, and more than 2,800 from Zaporizhzhia region.
Such evacuations are facilitated by the State Emergency Service in conjunction with the National Police, local communities, volunteers, and international partners. Hose authorities reported that the largest numbers of evacuees are being received by centers located in Pavlohrad and Voloske in Dnipropetrovsk region, as well as in Lozova in Kharkiv region.
State news Ukrinform explained that Special State Emergency Service Phoenix units and police special forces known as “White Angels” are operating directly in frontline areas, equipped with armored vehicles, medical supplies, and the necessary equipment to transport residents with limited mobility.
The Ministry emphasized that if the security situation in a community deteriorates, it is important not to delay the decision to evacuate, and that now is the time to get out to avoid complications and dangers. For example, residents of Krasnopillia community in Sumy region, who had previously refused to leave, were evacuated by armored vehicles in recent days.
The United Nations reported in February, at the last official count three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, that some 3.7 million Ukrainians have been driven from their homes and are internally displaced, and 6.9 million people have crossed into neighboring countries in the region including Poland, Hungary, Moldova and elsewhere.
As many as 21 transit centers for receiving evacuees are operating across Ukraine. There, people receive comprehensive assistance, including humanitarian, medical, psychological, legal, and social support. Evacuees are helped to restore documents, apply for payments and social services, and receive financial assistance from the state and humanitarian organizations.
The total number of beds in temporary accommodation facilities for internally displaced persons exceeds 80,500, of which more than 7,300 remain available for settlement.
Regional military administrations are also deploying additional beds for evacuees. As of Dec. 1, more than 15,200 additional beds have been set up, including about 396 for people with limited mobility.