350,000 civilians remain in Ukraine-controlled 45% of Donetsk Oblast
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are in control of 45% of Donetsk Oblast, with 350,000 civilians remaining in the area, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a Telegram post on Aug. 26.
The number of people remaining in the government-controlled part of Donetsk Oblast is thus just over a fifth of the total pre-invasion population.
“Before the full-scale invasion, 1.67 million people were living in the Ukraine-controlled two-thirds of the oblast,” said Kyrylenko.
“At this point, around 350,000 people remain across 45% of the oblast that is under Ukrainian control.”
According to the official, three quarters of the civilians in the region have been evacuated since the war broke out on Feb. 24.
After almost entirely seizing Luhansk Oblast by the end of June, Russian forces intensified the shelling of cities and towns in Donetsk Oblast.
The government ordered a mandatory evacuation from the oblast, although citizens can opt out via a written request.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged all civilians in Donetsk Oblast to evacuate to safer parts of the country.
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