On March 2, the military administration of Kharkiv Oblast ordered a partial mandatory evacuation for families with children and residents with physical disabilities in Kupiansk.
The decision, according to the announcement, was made "in light of the unstable security situation caused by the constant shelling of the community by Russian troops."
Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov promised that all evacuees would be provided with relocation assistance in a safer part of the oblast. The announcement also states that residents will be evacuated free of charge.
"Residents of Kupiansk will be provided with accommodation and food. They will also be provided with humanitarian aid and medical support. Appropriate social services will help in obtaining the status of internally displaced persons, financial support under state programs and assistance from international organizations," Syniehubov said.
Eight-hundred-and-twelve children, 724 persons with disabilities — 140 of whom are immobile — are registered residents in Kupiansk.
Kupiansk was liberated from Russian occupation in September 2022. The city and other surrounding areas of Kharkiv Oblast, due to its close proximity to the border, have been under constant attack since the start of the full-scale invasion.
On Feb. 28, a 63-year-old man was killed when Russia fired at Kupiansk with multiple rocket launchers. Residential buildings, a kindergarten, and a park were also damaged
