(ANSA) - MOSCOW, MAY 05 - Russia has announced the "partial" evacuation of the occupied settlements near the front line in the south of the country.
Russian governor of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Balitsky has ordered the evacuation of villages close to the frontline in the area, explaining that Ukrainian shelling has intensified in recent days.
The evacuation measure, decided by Moscow, initially affects fragile citizens, in particular children, the elderly, the disabled and hospital patients, from 18 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region close to the front.
This was specified by the governor of the portion of the region occupied by the Russians, Yevgeny Balitsky, quoted by the Interfax agency.
The decision, Balitsky added, was made to "protect these people from enemy fire".
(HANDLE).