The majority of internally displaced locals in the Donetsk oblast - more than 500,000 people - have moved to safer places within the region since 2014, and now everyone is heading even further west. This was reported by the head of the Donetsk Oblast State Administration, Vadym Filashkin, during an interview with journalist Oleksandr Khrebet from Kyiv Independent.
Vadym Filashkin noted that the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration has established dozens of humanitarian hubs in 17 regions of Ukraine.
"Just now, people are getting off the train, they are receiving financial assistance. Then the receiving region takes care of their accommodation and provides assistance", - said the head of the OSA.
However, there are those who want to stay home in the frontline cities until russian troops approach. Delay in making a decision on evacuation can lead to death or living under occupation.
"Many (of those who remain) want to evacuate. For us, this is a problem. When it gets really dangerous, people will seek help, but reaching them may be impossible", - Filashkin said, recounting that several locals tried to evacuate from Avdiivka, but russian troops opened fire on the only evacuation route.