Conflict & Security
Kramatorsk children ordered evacuated amid Russian strikes
Ukrainian authorities ordered 525 children and their guardians to leave Kramatorsk and nearby areas in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday because of intensifying Russian strikes, Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin said.
Filashkin said the evacuations would be forced. “This is a difficult but necessary decision,” he said, adding that the security situation was deteriorating and it was unacceptable to leave children under the constant threat of Russian attacks.
The order came as Russian troops advanced nearby. DeepState, a conflict monitor close to the Ukrainian army, said Russian forces were within 20 kilometres of Kramatorsk’s eastern edge.
Kramatorsk is one of the major cities in the Donetsk region that Russia has not captured. Moscow claims the region as its own. The city has been a logistics and supply hub for much of the war and forms part of what Ukraine calls its “fortress belt”.
An official said last month that around 50,000 people were still living in Kramatorsk, including more than 2,000 children.
Update
A total of 525 children and their guardians are to be forcibly evacuated from Kramatorsk and surrounding areas.
DeepState, a conflict monitor close to the Ukrainian army, said Russian forces are within 20 kilometres of Kramatorsk’s eastern edge.
Kramatorsk is described as a logistics and supply hub and part of Ukraine’s so-called fortress belt.
An official said last month that around 50,000 people remained in the city, including more than 2,000 children.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 14:02:24 UTC.
Update
Donetsk region governor Vadym Filashkin said 525 children and their guardians would be forcibly evacuated from Kramatorsk.
Filashkin said the security situation was deteriorating and children should not remain under constant threat of Russian attacks.
The order was described as affecting hundreds of families with children as Russian strikes intensify and Moscow's troops advance nearby.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 13:49:51 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The supplied information did not say when the forced evacuations would be completed.
DeepState’s distance estimate was attributed to a conflict monitor close to the Ukrainian army.
Source
AFP news report published on .