Pokrovsk train station closes for civilian evacuations as security situation deteriorates
Pokrovsk's train station has been closed for civilian evacuations due to a deteriorating security situation, Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin reported on Sept. 5.
Evacuations for civilians will depart from the train station in Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a city 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Pokrovsk, state-owned railway company Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) announced.
Pokrovsk authorities urged residents to evacuate on Aug. 15 after Russian forces reached about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.
The U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 1 that Russian troops accelerated their advance towards Pokrovsk over the previous week.
"The gathering of people takes place at designated safe points," the details of which are available on Ukrzaliznytsia hotlines, the company said.
Francis Farrell"Boarding points for rail transport will now be varied to comply with safety protocols."
Ukrzaliznytsia urged residents of front-line areas of Donetsk to evacuate quickly, to "not expose themselves and those who are evacuating them to greater danger."
Local administrations have been tasked with organizing buses to Pavlohrad for civilians from Donetsk Oblast who wish to evacuate, Filashkin said.
According to Filashin, 26,000 people remain in Pokrovsk, including 1,076 children. In the last month, 20,000 people have been evacuated, he said.
Pokrovsk had a population of around 60,000 in January 2022.
Emmanuelle Chaze
