Occupants in Vovchansk started "hunting" for civilian and police cars amid evacuation of the city: what is happening

In the northern part of Vovchansk, where active hostilities are ongoing, Russian occupation forces have started to harass civilian and police vehicles during the evacuation of the city. Despite this, the evacuation continues, and people continue to ask volunteers and law enforcement officers to pick them up.

This was stated on the air of Radio Svoboda by the head of the Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kharkiv region, Serhiy Bolvinov. As of the morning of May 16, law enforcement officers in Kharkiv region had received 35 applications from civilians for evacuation.

Over 200 people were evacuated from the Vovchansk direction yesterday and over 180 from the Lipetsk direction.

"People are calling 102, volunteers and asking to be taken out. Of course, there are not many people left there. However, they all need our help because they are mostly elderly people who cannot get out of this hell on their own. That is why it is important for us now," Bolvinov said.

He also added that the city of Vovchansk is under constant shelling. In general, the situation there is difficult. He urged the residents of Vovchansk to leave the areas where the fighting is going on on their own, if possible, to the bridge where there is a shelter, and there they will be met by police who will evacuate them further.

"To the people who are actually being held hostage by the Russians: the police are appealing to all of them to evacuate on their own, to reach the police as far as possible. There is one of the bridges where there is a shelter. And there, on this bridge, police officers are picking up and evacuating people, saving their lives," he explained.

It should be noted that Russian occupation forces took civilians hostage in Vovchansk, Kharkiv region. They did not allow the locals to evacuate: people were kidnapped and forced into basements.

It is worth noting that the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Kharkiv region are clearing the northern part of Vovchansk and the city itself. The Ukrainian military is working to stabilize the situation, inflicting fire on the enemy and preventing Russian occupation forces from gaining a foothold.

As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, the enemy continues to attack the Ukrainian Defense Forces along almost the entire front line. In the Kharkiv sector, the intensity of hostilities has increased, and the occupiers are focusing their main efforts on the Pokrovske and Kupianske directions.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!