(NewsReady.com) – When Russia invaded Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin reportedly expected the war to be over quickly. More than two years later, the conflict is still raging. Now, Russian officials are evacuating people in their own country.
On March 19, a Russian official announced children were being evacuated from Belgorod, on the border of Ukraine. Approximately 9,000 kids are being moved from the region, away from the border, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov told the press. The decision comes after the Ukrainian military has increased strikes on the area in recent months, hitting targets in Russia.
Over the last week, Russian opposition fighters based in Ukraine have launched raids across the border and into Russia. The fighting killed 16 people in Belgorod in mid-March and injured 98 others. Putin ordered the closure of schools and shopping malls in response to the cross-border attacks.
This isn’t the first time the Russian government has taken precautions to protect its citizens. In 2023, the government evacuated roughly 1,000 people from other regions across the country. Additionally, there have been other rumored evacuations elsewhere. In the latest removal, some 600 people were being temporarily housed in other locations.
Gladkov said the children were being evacuated in waves. On March 22, officials are moving one group of 1,200 to the regions of Tambov, Penza, and Kaluga. Another group was going to southern Russia, about 640 miles away.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defense systems have shot down a number of Ukrainian shells in recent days. The agency also said the Russian military launched preemptive attacks on two Ukrainian units. Ukrainian drones have hit at least seven Russian regions in the last few weeks, deep in the interior of the aggressor’s country.
A new United Nations report has also accused Russia of torturing and detaining people inside Ukraine, creating a “climate of fear.” The military is accused of committing war crimes again.
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