Civilians evacuated from frontlines

KYIV – “On February 3, Ukraine’s Emergency Service evacuated 188 people, including eight children, from the towns of Debaltseve and Svitlodarsk in Donetsk region,” military spokesman Col. Andriy Lysenko reported at a February 4 briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Those who stayed in Avdiyivka could not be evacuated due to constant shelling. On February 2, Ukrainian Railways provided free transportation for 235 internally displaced persons who left the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone. Meanwhile, Ivica Dačić, the chairperson-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, called for a localized three-day ceasefire around Debaltseve to evacuate civilians from the area where fierce fighting between the Ukrainian armed forces and pro-Russian militants raged for more than two weeks. Previously, on January 30, 310 people were evacuated from Debaltseve, 60 people from Avdiyivka, 28 children from Shchastia, 62 people from the village Troitske. Transit checkpoints were organized at railway stations in the cities of Sloviansk and Kostiantynivka. They will be used not only as transition points, but also as centers for psychological and medical care as well for resolving social and domestic issues of internally displaced persons, Col. Lysenko said. (Ukraine Crisis Media Center)