Zaporizhzhia authorities to relocate 70,000 from border settlements amid ongoing shelling

As many as 70,000 people are to be resettled from areas of the Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) region due to ongoing incidents of artillery shelling, Deputy Prime Minister of the region Andrey Kozenko said, TASS reports.

There are priority categories for resettlement — children and families with children, the official said. The resettlement process already started in the Pologovsky district, as local residents are being evacuated to the city of Berdyansk.

It goes about as many as 500 people, the official said adding that there were special collection points organised. All those residing in the designated areas can relocate to different cities voluntarily.

"This decision was made to ensure safety. <…> The Ministry of Emergency Situations, our social bloc, the Ministry of Transport, the entire power bloc organised the work to relocate local residents, those who are willing to relocate — that is, this relocation is voluntary," Kozenko said.

On May 5, Acting Head of the Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) Region Yevgeny Balitsky announced the beginning of the partial relocation of residents from 18 front-line settlements against the backdrop of intensified artillery shelling from the direction of Ukraine. The people will be relocated from front-line territories deeper inside the region.

Evacuations are to be conducted from the following settlements: Timoshovka, Smirnovka, Tarasovka, Orlyanskoye, Molochansk, Kuibyshevo, Prishib, Tokmak, Malaya Belozerka, Vasilyevka, Velikaya Belozerka, Dneprorudnoye, Mikhailovka, Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Energodar, Pologi, Horse Discord, Rozovka.