Refugees . File photoLUHANSK, Mar 21The authorities of the Lugansk People's Republic evacuated more than 360 refugees from Rubizhne on Monday, the press service of the LPR Ministry of Emergency Situations told reporters. Earlier, the People's Militia of the LPR reported that the forces of the republic had entered the city and fighting continued on the outskirts. The defense department of the LPR stated that on Saturday the Ukrainian security forces opened fire on civilians in order to prevent the evacuation of people. at the moment, 1,163 people have been taken to the safe zone,» the spokesman said. He clarified that people can receive help and temporarily accommodate in the tent camp of the liberated city of Starobilsk, as well as in three dormitories of various educational institutions in the city of Luhansk. «Number of people There are many people remaining in Rubizhne. People continue to remain in basements and bomb shelters. The number is large. There are children, there are old people. Evacuation work continues. The Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, volunteers, everyone helps, people, if possible, leave Rubizhne also with their own vehicles and on foot,” Sergey Belov, member of the board of the Memorial organization (LNR), told reporters on the spot.
Russia evacuated more than 16,000 people to its territory in a day. He clarified that the evacuation from the city continues, but many are afraid to go, as the road along which people can be taken out is constantly shot at. (under the control of the Ukrainian security forces — ed.) from heavy weapons, explosions, arrivals are constantly heard in the city itself … From the other side (Ukrainian security officials — ed.) They see that evacuation buses have entered, the buses are forced to hide behind the building, because as soon as evacuation buses arrive, shelling begins,” Belov added. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.» According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Armed Forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. With the support of the RF Armed Forces, the forces of the DPR and LPR are developing an offensive. But the occupation of Ukraine is out of the question, the President of Russia emphasized.
