Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said that around 5,000 people, among them 37 children, still remain in Bakhmut. According to him, most of the remaining residents refuse to leave their homes.

Despite ongoing heavy battles in Bakhmut, law enforcement officers are still carrying out the evacuation.

On March 1, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that given the intensity of the hostilities in Bakhmut, all children must be evacuated despite the decisions their parents or guardians may make.

Even though Bakhmut has been a Russian critical target since May 2022, Ukrainian forces continue to hold the area.

Serhii Cherevaty, spokesperson of the Eastern Operational Command, said on March 1 that Ukrainian forces have not made the decision to withdraw from the city.

Additionally, on Feb. 28, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported that additional troops would be sent to Bakhmut.