Increased Russian artillery fire in the Sumy region of Ukraine has triggered mass evacuations in dozens of villages. According to Russia, Ukraine has also carried out attacks near the border in recent days.
The authorities have started mass evacuation of residents in the Sumy region near the Russian border in the northern parts of Ukraine, reports the Reuters news agency, referring to official information. The evacuation is being started because the area has been under heavy artillery fire for some time, officials said on Friday.
The military administration of the Sumy region says that more than 180 residents have been evacuated from the Velikopysarska municipality near the Russian border in the last three days.
The authorities in the Sumy region have been reporting almost daily about Russian artillery fire for a long time, but now the attacks have increased.
According to the regional military administration, the firing has reached the most precisely in the areas that are now being evacuated. In the last five days, three people have died and 13 people have been wounded in the attacks, the authorities say.
According to the military administration, a total of more than 4,500 residents have been evacuated from around twenty villages in the Sumy region, but the authorities did not specify the time frame.
Velikopysarska is located just a few kilometers from the village of Kozinka in the Belgorod region of Russia.
Artillery and aerial attacks were also carried out on the Russian side of the border
Earlier this week, the Kozinka authorities reported on the considerable destruction caused by armed groups in the area. The groups say they consist of Russians who voluntarily fight on the side of Ukraine and oppose the Russian regime.
According to Russia, Ukraine has carried out numerous artillery and aerial attacks on areas near the border in recent days.
Governor of the Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Tuesday that one person had died and ten had been wounded in the attacks. On Friday, he said that two people have been killed and two wounded as a result of Ukrainian artillery fire in the area.
Governor of the Kursk region Roman Starovoit said in turn that the anti-aircraft units in the area destroyed three Ukrainian airplanes on Thursday night.
The news agency Reuters has not been able to independently confirm the information reported about the attacks.
On Friday, the Russian president Vladimir Putin commented on the attacks inside Russia’s borders and said that the attacks are attempts to disrupt the ongoing presidential elections in Russia. In Russia, a show-like presidential election will be held this weekend, in which the current president Putin has been assured of victory.
Sources: Reuters, AFP