Russia pounds Ukraine border, forcing thousands to flee

Thousands have been forced to leave their homes in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region due to ongoing Russian bombardments on a key town along the border, part of a broader offensive that began abruptly on Friday, local officials reported on Sunday.

The regional governor of Kharkiv, Oleg Synegubov, updated on social media that 4,073 residents had been evacuated following the Russian forces’ recent claims of having seized five nearby villages. The conflict has already resulted in multiple civilian casualties, including a 63-year-old man killed by artillery in the village of Glyboke.

On the ground, AFP correspondents witnessed the evacuation of primarily elderly residents from the border town of Vovchansk, noting their confusion and distress. Among them was 72-year-old Lyuda Zelenskaya, who clutched her cat, expressing a reluctance to leave her home. Similarly, 70-year-old Liuba Konovalova described her last night before evacuation as “really terrifying.”

Evacuees gathered at an initial reception point in the region, where volunteers helped them to register and provided food before they were transported to Kharkiv, the regional capital.

Senior police officer Oleksiy Kharkivsky, who was coordinating the evacuations, reported that the town had experienced continuous shelling, with several fatalities on Saturday and additional casualties found in the debris overnight. “The city is being systematically destroyed,” he explained, detailing the extensive use of artillery and mortar fire by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian military, however, has managed to halt further advancements by Russian troops, according to Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky. Despite this, he described the situation in the region as significantly worsened and complex, highlighting the continuous efforts of Ukrainian forces to maintain their defensive positions and counter the enemy.

Kharkivsky noted that around 1,500 individuals had either been evacuated or had fled from Vovchansk since the onset of the offensive, during which the town suffered 32 drone strikes within the last day. He also mentioned that the evacuation teams had repeatedly come under attack.

At a nearby reception center, AFP observed groups of evacuees arriving in vans and cars, laden with their belongings. Here, the mostly elderly evacuees were provided with food, medical care, and accommodations with bunk beds.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Saturday that Ukrainian forces were actively counterattacking in the affected border villages, emphasizing the importance of disrupting Russian military strategies and urging international allies to expedite arms deliveries. This military action comes as Ukraine faces delays in Western aid and shortages of manpower, with officials having previously warned of potential Russian offensives targeting the northeastern borders.