Ukraine orders evacuation of 3,000 children from frontline zones

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKEY — JAN. 3, 2026

Ukraine ordered the mandatory evacuation of thousands of children and parents from frontline settlements in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions on Friday, citing intensified Russian military advances and deteriorating security.

The directive affects over 3,000 minors living in 44 specific settlements where shelling has intensified. The move comes as military analysts report that Moscow’s forces have secured their most significant territorial gains in the past year since the early stages of the 2022 invasion.

'Mandatory evacuation' due to shelling

Oleksiy Kuleba, Ukraine's Minister for Restoration, announced the decision via Telegram, emphasizing the urgent need to protect civilians in contested zones.

"Due to the difficult security situation, a decision was made on the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 children and their parents from 44 frontline settlements in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions," Kuleba stated.

Kuleba added that evacuations are also ongoing in the northern Chernihiv region, which borders Moscow ally Belarus and has recently become a target for renewed Russian bombardment. According to ministry data, approximately 150,000 people—including 18,000 children and 5,000 people with reduced mobility—have been moved from frontline areas to safer regions since June 1.

Russian battlefield gains accelerate

The evacuation orders coincide with reports of substantial Russian advances. An analysis by AFP, based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), indicates that the Russian army seized more than 5,600 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2025.

While this figure remains below the rapid expansion seen in the first year of the invasion in 2022, it represents a significant increase compared to the stalemate of the previous two years.

The pressure on the ground was further highlighted by a massive aerial assault on Friday. Ivan Fedorov, the regional administration head for Zaporizhzhia, reported one of the "largest" drone attacks to date, with at least nine UAVs striking the city and damaging dozens of homes.

Diplomatic push for peace

Despite the intensifying violence, diplomatic efforts to end the four-year conflict continue. Kyiv is set to host security advisors from allied nations on Saturday to discuss peace frameworks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that representatives from the European Union, NATO, and approximately 15 countries will attend the talks, with a US delegation participating via video link. These discussions are a precursor to a "coalition of the willing" leaders' summit scheduled to take place in France next week.

In a New Year's Eve address, Zelenskyy remarked that a US-brokered peace deal was "90 percent" ready, though he acknowledged that the critical issue of territorial control remains unresolved.

www.wisenewspress.com