Russia controlled city in Zaporizhzhia 'under attack' amid ongoing evacuation process

Russian occupation authorities are reportedly moving officials and civilians from the city of Tokmak to Berdiansk, a city located deeper into the occupied territories in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The move is accompanied by threats towards parents, who are told that their children will not be allowed to attend school if they refuse to leave Tokmak, as per a report from Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian military has noted queues for fuel in the city, with drivers warned of no upcoming fuel deliveries. Additionally, a police department in the occupied village of Vesele has been closed, with local authorities reportedly destroying documentation before the closure.

This recent relocation follows a previous announcement by the head of Russian occupation authorities in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Yevgeny Balitsky, regarding the partial displacement of residents in 18 front-line settlements due to alleged "increased enemy's shelling". Last fall, during Ukraine's counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast, Russian occupation authorities conducted a forced relocation campaign in the region, also referring to it as "evacuation."

Evacuation comes ahead of Ukrainian counteroffensive

Ukraine is expected to launch a major counteroffensive in the coming weeks, which is seen as a critical juncture to take back the territory under Russian control. According to a pro-Moscow official on Monday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are targeting the Russian-controlled city of Polohy in the Zaporizhzhia region. Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed main council of the military-civilian administration of the region, stated that "Polohy is under the fire of the Ukrainian Armed Forces".

He further claimed that the attack has caused injuries to civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure. Rogov also stated that authorities have already begun evacuating civilians from frontline areas. As of now, it isn't clear how successful the Ukrainian counteroffensive will be. Ukraine has not received the fighter jets it was seeking and the recent intelligence leaks suggest that the Ukrainian military is struggling.