As of June 16, 2025, more than 273,200 civilians remained in the territory of the Donetsk oblast under Ukrainian government control, including 20,200 children. This was reported during the weekly briefing at the Donetsk Oblast State Administration.
Since the start of the full-scale war, from February 26, 2022, to June 13, 2025, over 1,223,000 people have been evacuated from the oblast, including 192,000 children and 46,700 people with disabilities. At the same time, around 251,000 residents have already returned to the Donetsk oblast.
According to Serhii Honcharov, a representative of the Department for Civil Protection, Mobilization, and Defense Work, over 24,800 people remain in the zone of active combat, including 128 children.
As reported by Yuliia Ryzhakova, head of the Children's Affairs Service, forced evacuation of families with children continues in five settlements, where 121 children remain. In particular, in the Lyman community in the village of Novoselivka — 2 children, in the Druzhkivka community (village of Oleksiive-Druzhkivka) — 74 children, in the Dobropillia community — 45 children (32 of them in the town of Bilytske).
Over the past week, 48 children have been evacuated: 1 from Kryvorizka community, 11 from Dobropillia, 36 from Druzhkivka.
As emphasized by Dmytro Pozharskyi, head of the Department for Provision of Social Services, people who agree to evacuation but have nowhere to go can request assistance — they will be placed free of charge in temporary shelters. During the past week, 34 people were settled, including 15 children. People were received in the Poltava, Vinnytsia, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, as well as at a shelter run by the Save Ukraine organization in the Kyiv oblast.
In the near future, evacuees will also be accommodated in the Kirovohrad and Poltava oblasts.
“Don’t wait until the last moment”, - urged Dmytro Pozharskyi. As an example, he mentioned a couple from Stepanivka near Kramatorsk, who agreed to evacuation only after a strike hit their home — they were left without a roof, belongings, or documents.
Everyone ready for evacuation is asked to contact their local administration. People are transported free of charge to a transit point in Pavlohrad, where they receive assistance with documentation, humanitarian aid, medical and psychological support. If they have a destination — charity organizations buy them tickets, if not — free lodging is arranged.