Ukraine's National Police has rescued 126 children from front-line settlements in Donetsk Oblast since the authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation in late October, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported on Nov. 8.
According to Klymenko, the evacuation continues as 128 more children remain in the settlements constantly targeted by Russian forces.
The Donetsk Oblast police carried out a successful rescue operation on Nov. 8, evacuating all 15 children who had remained in the villages of Ocheretyne, Yelyzavetivka and Katerynivka, Klymenko said on Telegram.
"The last to agree to evacuate was a family with two school-age children. They did not go to the school — it was destroyed by the Russians," the minister added.
"The parents said they were used to living in a war zone, so it took a lot of effort for the police to convince the family to leave."
The family now lives in a safer Ukrainian region, and the children will go to school, according to Klymenko.
Every day, the regional police reportedly bring humanitarian aid to the families who remain in Donetsk Oblast's front-line villages, trying to convince them to leave.
Ukrainian authorities ordered a mandatory evacuation of around 250 children from eight settlements in Donetsk Oblast due to a "critical security situation" on Oct. 23. All children have to be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians during the evacuation.
