Increasing danger forces action: forced evacuation of children from frontline communities continues in Dnipropetrovsk region
With the beginning of the next phase of aggravation of the security situation in Ukraine, measures to evacuate the civilian population from territories under constant threat of shelling have been intensified again. Children remain the most vulnerable category. In connection with the growing danger to the civilian population, the authorities are forced to take decisive measures to minimize the risks to the life and health of minors. One of them was the forced evacuation of children from the front-line Mezhiv community in Dnipropetrovsk region.
Forced evacuation in the Mezhiv community
Mandatory evacuation of children has begun in five settlements of the Mezhiv community of the Synelniky district, in accordance with the order of the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration, Serhiy Lysak. This decision was taken after a series of shelling, which made staying in these settlements extremely dangerous. As reported Serhii Lysak in his Telegram channel, in the first week and a half since the evacuation began, 100 children have already left their homes.
According to the head of the region, first of all, children with their parents or legal representatives are subject to evacuation. At the same time, there are still 656 minors in the community, whose evacuation is ongoing. The official emphasized that within the framework of the organization of the process, local residents will be informed about their rights, opportunities for assistance in moving, as well as finding a new place of residence.
Organization of evacuation: who helps and how the mechanism works
The evacuation process is implemented in coordination with local authorities, security forces, social services and psychologists. Police officers are actively involved in the work, conducting round-ups of houses and helping families prepare for moving, providing legal advice, and instructing them on evacuation procedures. Psychologists provide support to parents and children at the time of meetings, help to cope with stress and adapt to new circumstances. Social workers advise families on the next steps after relocation: temporary resettlement, registration of social benefits, medical care and schooling of children in a new place.
In addition to the Mezhivsk community, similar measures have been initiated in two other territorial communities of the Synelniky district — Velikomykhailivska and Malomykhailivska. Mandatory evacuation of families with children in these settlements must be carried out within 60 days from the moment of announcement of the relevant orders.
Reasons for forced evacuation: why the authorities resort to harsh measures
The Mezhivo community, like a part of other front-line areas of the Dnipropetrovsk region, is under constant threat of shelling by Russian troops. According to the military and representatives of the administration, these territories have repeatedly come under artillery and missile strikes, which poses an immediate danger to civilians. The safety of children requires special attention, since even a short stay in the shelling zone can cost lives.
Decisions on forced evacuation are made by authorities based on threat assessments received from military structures, intelligence services, the State Emergency Service and local self-government bodies. Forced evacuation is not a punishment or a repressive measure, but an extreme way to protect the civilian population when voluntary departure does not cover a sufficient number of people.
Legal status of forced evacuation of children: what the law provides
The mechanism of forced evacuation of children is regulated by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and separate orders of military administrations. It provides that in the case of a systemic threat to the life and health of children, the authorities can make a mandatory decision on their departure from dangerous areas together with their parents or legal representatives.
A key condition is the lack of safe shelters and civil protection systems that are able to ensure guaranteed safety for children during hostilities or shelling. According to the State Emergency Service, such conditions are absent in a number of front-line villages of the Mezhiv community, which became the basis for the introduction of mandatory evacuation.
Problems and difficulties in organizing evacuation
Despite the threat and organized assistance, not all families agree to leave voluntarily. The reasons for refusal are different: reluctance to leave their homes, lack of housing in safe regions, fear of the unknown, economic difficulties, reluctance to change the place of work or the school of children. A psychological factor often plays a role as well — the belief in a quick end to hostilities or the mistaken belief that “it is not as dangerous here as in other places.”
That is why the authorities are forced to step up outreach work. Social services and the police conduct regular rounds, explain the risks of leaving children in the shelling zone, offer accommodation options, provide support in transporting property, and organize bus transportation.
According to the administration’s decision, 60 days have been set aside for evacuation in all communities of the Synelnyk district. During this period, it is planned to move as many children as possible together with their families. After the end of this period, the state authorities will continue to work with those families who, for various reasons, have remained.
If the situation at the front worsens, the expansion of forced evacuation zones to other territories that are within the range of Russian artillery or missile systems is not excluded. Due to its proximity to the front line, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast remains among the priority regions for such events.
The evacuation of children from the front-line communities of Dnipropetrovsk region shows how high the risks for the civilian population remain against the background of a full-scale war. Behind each statistical figure are the fates of specific families who are forced to leave their homes in dangerous conditions. For authorities, this is a complex logistical operation, for citizens, it is a painful but forced decision, but at the same time, it is the only way to preserve the lives and health of children in a situation of constant threat.
