The head of the Grayvoronsky District in Russia's Belgorod Oblast has called on fellow Russians to leave nearby settlements in the region bordering Ukraine.

Source: Gennady Bondarev, the Head of the Grayvoronsky District, on his Telegram channel

A few hours after posting this message, Bondarev deleted it.

Quote: "I appeal to those who remain in the border settlements of the district. The situation remains tense. I ask you to make the right decision and temporarily leave the border areas...

Once again, this applies only to border settlements."

Details: Bondarev also said that residents of Yaroslavl Oblast are ready to accept those temporarily forced to leave their homes. They also suggest organising an evacuation from Belgorod Oblast to Yaroslavl Oblast: "We will try to deliver food to residents [of border settlements], but this depends on the operational situation."

Recently, Viacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod Oblast, said that roadblocks would be set up at the entrances to seven border settlements in the oblast, where Russian border guards, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and local administrative officials will be on duty. Among these seven settlements was the city of Grayvoron.

Previously: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) reports that the authorities of Belgorod Oblast of the Russian Federation decided to evacuate local residents due to a military operation carried out by anti-regime Russian volunteer soldiers.

DIU intercepted a conversation between a local resident and the police, which confirmed that the population of the town of Grayvoron was being evacuated.

Gladkov stated that 9,000 children were being evacuated from Belgorod and the border areas of the oblast.

Background:

• Fighting has been underway between the Russian military and armed Russian volunteers who are fighting on the side of Ukraine, namely the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Sibir Battalion. The faceoffs began on 12 March 2024 in the border areas of the Belgorod and Kursk oblasts.
• On 13 March, Russian volunteer soldiers issued a joint statement announcing attacks on Russian military positions in Belgorod and Kursk and calling on local residents to evacuate.
• Later, the Russian Volunteer Corps called on all residents in Kursk and Bryansk oblasts who did not have time or could not evacuate to head for shelters immediately.

Support UP or become our patron!