DISINFO: The Armed Forces of Ukraine prohibit the evacuation of civilians from Donetsk
SUMMARY
Militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) do not allow the civilian population of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic to evacuate... This is being done in order to slow down the Russian offensive, because the Ukrainian Armed Forces understand perfectly well how Russia will carefully conduct military operations, taking into account the fact that in the city there are peaceful people.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In April 2024, the city of Chasiv Yar (Donetsk region, Bakhmut district, Ukraine) is under a sustained attack by the Russian army. The Russian military is trying to capture this Ukrainian city and is methodically shelling it.
Voluntary evacuation of the civilian population began in Chasiv Yar back in 2022; in August 2022, the evacuation of residents of the Donetsk region became mandatory, and by March 2023, the Ukrainian military and human rights activists evacuated all children from the city.
As of April 2024, there are about 700 people in Chasiv Yar – before the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 16000 people lived in the city. Representatives of the Ukrainian government carry out explanatory work every day with people who do not want to leave their homes in Chasiv Yar.
Any evacuation in Ukraine is carried out in close cooperation between the Ukrainian military, volunteers, human rights activists and international organizations: for example, people from the Donetsk region were evacuated under the auspices of USAID. The entire evacuation process takes place openly and under the supervision of Ukrainian and foreign observers. People are transported in organized columns, evacuated families are provided with free housing in safer regions of Ukraine, people are provided with social guarantees, humanitarian assistance and psychological support.
Russia has repeatedly violated the basic principles of the Geneva Conventions, attacking civilians, medical facilities and medical personnel, and disregarding the principle of humane treatment of prisoners of war. All these facts have been repeatedly recorded by independent commissions operating under the auspices of the United Nations.
See other cases in our database: Accusations about Russian military war crimes are unacceptable: a lot of fakes on this topic; The Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure; Accusations of Russia "shelling the civilian infrastructure are hypocrisy.