"Avdiivka direction - one of the hottest spots in Donetsk oblast. Occupation and constant shelling of residential areas by Russian forces force people to evacuate to safer cities. Ukrainian special services help locals to reach peaceful places. However, the "evacuation" is also carried out by Russian military. The enemy transports residents to the occupied territories and afterwards films propaganda videos and issues them Russian passports.
Journalists from TRIBUN investigated how the evacuation of civilians from Avdiivka took place, what locals say about it, and what new fakes about the situation and the rescue of people the Russian authorities are spreading.
Avdiivka - is a city where people have evacuated since 2014
Since 2014, Avdiivka has been under constant shelling. Throughout the entire Russian-Ukrainian war, there were battles and instances of escalated tensions in the direction. Because of this, residents were forced to leave their homes and some tried to adapt to the situation.
During the period of the full-scale Russian invasion, the Russian army concentrated all efforts on Avdiivka and the direction to seize territories and advance further. Round-the-clock assaults, intense fire from all types of weapons, and the destruction of the city by aviation became the reasons for evacuation for those who stayed at home until the last moment.
Local evacuations were handled by Ukrainian special services. Some residents left on their own. However, from the occupied areas, and later from the city itself, people were taken out by Russian military. In this way, residents of Avdiivka ended up in the occupied territories of Donetsk region.
This "rescue" process created a series of Russian propaganda stories about alleged shelling and abuse of the civilian population by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, obstruction of evacuation, and the joyful anticipation of Avdiivka residents for Russia."
Russian narratives about the evacuation from Avdiivka
Occupational resources on March 15, 2024, published a video featuring Serhii, a volunteer from the occupied Donetsk, who helps evacuate people from Avdiivka, about "the conditions in which the residents of Avdiivka have been living since the beginning of the war and about how the operation to evacuate civilians took place."
It did not go without accusations against the Ukrainian Armed Forces of shelling civilians. According to Serhii, based on the words of the people he knows, "They hid in the basements. At first, the Ukrainian soldiers, knowing that peaceful civilians were there, shelled them to occupy these positions under defensive lines. Many people were buried in the basements... So, there were peaceful civilians in the basements, and above them were the positions of the Ukrainian soldiers."
About the evacuated, the "volunteer" says: "The fact that these people are alive is a miracle and the heroism of our soldiers."
In the next video report from February 18, 2024, the occupiers showcase an interview with a local man who was waiting for Russian authorities, considers himself a "Russian," and plans to obtain Russian citizenship.
Such videos emotionally impact the viewer and encourage negative perceptions of people living in frontline cities. They serve as justification for the Russian military's invasion of Ukraine.
The resident of Avdiivka also emphasizes that the Ukrainian side tried repeatedly to evacuate him, which confirms the rescue efforts by Ukrainian military, volunteers, etc.
"Vesti Donetsk" also published comments from residents of Avdiivka who warmly welcomed the occupation authorities and listened to news from enemy radio stations such as "Vesti FM," "Radio Respublika," "Komsomolskaya Pravda," and "Radio Zvezda."
They also touched on the language issue. A man and a woman mentioned that "everyone communicated in Russian. They only heard Ukrainian from Ukrainian soldiers and in the mass media." The story was supposed to be propagandistic, but it turned out to be evidence that no one prohibited locals from speaking Russian, so there was no need to "save" Russian speakers.
Enemy news channels claim that "before retreating, Ukrainians were kidnapping men in Avdiivka." Allegedly, this is based on the words of the evacuated Mykola Tselikov.
However, the man himself, in an interview for "Donbass Reshaet," does not say that Ukrainian soldiers or others were involved in the disappearance of the young man or his neighbor.
The occupiers depict the evacuation of children by the Ukrainian side as follows: "The Ukrainian Armed Forces were turning basements upside down in search of children of Avdiivka residents."
They portray this fact as "forced" evacuation. Additionally, they took into account the comment of local resident Mykola, who supposedly claimed that in case of refusal to evacuate a woman with a child, Ukrainian military personnel could mobilize the man.
The Ukrainian military "forced" people to leave Avdiivka, as described by the Russian channel "Urgent. Now." The report claims that the Ukrainian Armed Forces "applied terrorist tactics: hitting water heaters, toilets, wells."
What actually happened during the evacuation from the destroyed city and what the residents of Avdiivka had to endure is further investigated.
How Ukrainian special services evacuated civilians from Avdiivka
During the fighting in Avdiivka, civilian evacuation was assisted by the rescue team "Phoenix," the National Police unit "White Angel," military personnel, and volunteers. Each departure posed the risk of not returning. However, the crews continued to evacuate willing individuals and urged them to preserve their lives.
The National Police unit "White Angel," Ukrainian soldiers, and the State Emergency Service employees on January 31, 2024, assisted in evacuating Avdiivka residents who walked under shelling to the city center. Some had to leave from already occupied streets.
Necessary assistance was provided to the locals, and afterward, they were taken to one of the safe points. Residents shared how they suffered from the actions of the Russian forces. In a video, a man recounted, "It was a complete nightmare. When the Russian troops began to enter, it was not just a nightmare, it was Armageddon. Blood. Deaths. Plundering. I think I won't return to Avdiivka."
As of February 5, 2024, the police reported that they had already conducted over 30 perilous flights and evacuated 123 people. They informed the population about the situation, assisted in contacting relatives, and helped gather essential items.
On February 7, 2024, the rescue team "Phoenix" reported that they had evacuated 72 people from the Avdiivka area. Under heavy shelling, evacuations were carried out in a rapid manner using an armored vehicle.
Every day, the evacuation of civilians from Avdiivka became more challenging due to intense fighting and partial occupation. Vadym Filashkin, the head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration and chief of the regional military administration, emphasized during a national telethon on February 14, 2024, that "the only evacuation route from Avdiivka is completely shelled by the Russians."
The opportunity to leave the destroyed city and escape from Russian occupation was provided to the residents of Avdiivka until the very last moment. On the night of February 17, 2024, Commander of the Operational-Strategic Group "Tavria" Olexander Tarnavskyi announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Avdiivka. In the morning, the decision to withdraw from the city was also announced by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Olexander Syrskyi.
The occupation of Avdiivka and the withdrawal of all units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces became the reasons for the cessation of evacuations. It is crucial and necessary to leave a settlement located on the front line in a timely manner to preserve life. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk addressed the evacuees, particularly from the Donetsk region, urging them "not to return to their homes until it is safe."
The author: Yuliia Kanzeba
