1,600 people remaining in Toretsk amid intense fighting

Source: Suspilne Donbas

Ukrainian officials are anxious that about 1,600 people are still in Toresk and its suburbs, Donetsk region, as the combat is intensifying in the area.  According to reports, the evacuation campaign has already moved at least 8,000 to safety.

“About 1,600 individuals remain in the community. These are mainly the elderly, men of conscription age, and some who, frankly, hold out hope for the enemy, not realizing the reality of what could happen. They don’t consider the scenario where, if the enemy takes control, they could be forced to fight against the Armed Forces of Ukraine and end up as cannon fodder, likely to perish in combat,” said Vasyl Chynchyk who is a head of Toretsk City Military Administration.

Evacuation efforts are becoming increasingly difficult each day, as Russian forces uses drones indiscriminately.

“The enemy uses drones and tries to destroy the transport used for evacuations. We rely on armored vehicles to ensure we can safely evacuate civilians,” Chynchyk said.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Toretsk was home to nearly 70,000 residents.

Meanwhile, over the past 24 hours, Russian forces used air support to  launch six attacks near Nelipivka, Toretsk, and in the area of New York, Donetsk region.