Safe departure from Sumy border areas may soon become impossible - official

The security situation in the territories near the border is dynamic, the possibility of safe departure may become more difficult, so it’s vital to make a decision on evacuation from the border area in a timely manner, Sumy Regional Military Administration head Oleh Hryhorov has said.

"Evacuation from the border communities of Sumy region has been ongoing since 2023 as a systematic and preventive measure to preserve the lives of the civilian population. More than 16,000 residents were subject to evacuation from the 5-kilometer border zone of Sumy Oblast. Most of them decided to leave. At the same time, about 4,000 people still remain in these territories, refusing to evacuate. The largest share of residents who have not yet dared to evacuate from the territories closest to the border are in the communities of the Shostka district," Hryhorov said on Telegram.

During a conversation with the heads of border communities of Sumy and Shostka districts, Grigorov discussed the procedure for action in communities where people postpone the decision to evacuate, despite the persistence of security threats. "The main emphasis is on clear action plans and the readiness of services to work in conditions of changing situations. The security situation in border communities is assessed by the military. Relevant recommendations for evacuation are communicated to residents through local government bodies. It is important to take them into account when making a decision to leave," Hryhorov added.