01:33Ukraine: Debaltsevo evacuation mission FAILS after poor turn-out
A proposed mass evacuation of civilians from the city of Debaltsevo, and its surrounding areas in the Donetsk region, fell through on Friday when only a few residents turned up to be transported from the region.
Altogether 25 buses departed from Debaltsevo with only around 40 residents on board, despite being escorted between rebel and government lines by Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitors and local traffic police. Fears that the convoy would be hit by shelling affected the evacuation mission attendance. Residents commented that there were others who wanted to leave but had chosen not to, saying that “the people say that the buses are getting shelled”.
One high ranking military commander from the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples’ Republic (DPR/DNR) blamed the Ukrainian army, 5,000 to 7,000 of whom are currently surrounded in the city, for the failure, stating that locals were not informed about the convoy.
Residents have reportedly been given a choice between going to pro-Kiev territory or the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
01:33A proposed mass evacuation of civilians from the city of Debaltsevo, and its surrounding areas in the Donetsk region, fell through on Friday when only a few residents turned up to be transported from the region.
Altogether 25 buses departed from Debaltsevo with only around 40 residents on board, despite being escorted between rebel and government lines by Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitors and local traffic police. Fears that the convoy would be hit by shelling affected the evacuation mission attendance. Residents commented that there were others who wanted to leave but had chosen not to, saying that “the people say that the buses are getting shelled”.
One high ranking military commander from the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples’ Republic (DPR/DNR) blamed the Ukrainian army, 5,000 to 7,000 of whom are currently surrounded in the city, for the failure, stating that locals were not informed about the convoy.
Residents have reportedly been given a choice between going to pro-Kiev territory or the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.