The Russian military is not allowing civilians to leave the city of Vovchansk, in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukraine's Interior Minister this Thursday (16). Ihor Klymenko said National Police investigators in the region had opened a criminal investigation “into the violation of the rules and customs of war.”
A CNN cannot independently verify Klymenko's claims and has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.
Klymenko said that police teams continue to work in Vovchansk “despite the intense fighting, they are trying to ensure that people are freed from occupation.”
Oleksii Kharkivskyi, head of patrol at the Vovchansk Police Department, posted on Facebook on Thursday that the eviction is still ongoing and that “remaining in the city is dangerous.”
The head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, also said civilian evacuations were continuing, but said Russian forces used cluster munitions to attack a village in the Vovchansk area, injuring five people.
The city of Vovchansk, located about 60 km northeast of Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv, has been the scene of some of the most intense battles in areas close to the border in recent days. Meanwhile, Russia continues efforts to penetrate deeper into Ukrainian territory.
Source: CNN Brasil
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