Donetsk authorities report 273,200 civilians remain in region

This was reported during an online briefing on June 18 by Serhii Honcharov, Head of the Department for Civil Protection, Mobilization, and Defense Work of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration (RMA), according to a Ukrinform correspondent.

"From February 26, 2022, to June 13, 2025, about 1,223,000 civilians were evacuated from Donetsk region. Among them were approximately 192,000 children and 46,700 people with disabilities... As of June 16, 2025, 273,200 people remain in the Ukrainian-controlled territory of the region, including 20,200 children," Honcharov stated.

He noted that about 251,000 people have returned to Donetsk region for permanent residence during this entire period.

"We are witnessing both the evacuation process and the reverse. Throughout the full-scale invasion, people have been leaving and, for various reasons, some return. Just yesterday, 298 people left the region, while 34 returned. So, the trend is still toward evacuation to safer areas," Honcharov explained.

He emphasized that evacuation efforts are ongoing and once again urged all residents of Donetsk region not directly involved in supporting the region’s infrastructure to consider evacuation.

"Evacuation is the only way to protect yourself to some extent from the threat of Russian aggression," the RMA official stressed.

"In five settlements where mandatory evacuation is in effect, there are still 121 children remaining, accompanied by their parents or legal guardians, from 94 families," said Yuliia Ryzhakova, acting head of the Children's Services Department of Donetsk RMA, during the online briefing.

She clarified that the highest number of children remaining in areas with mandatory evacuation are in Dobropillia urban territorial community – currently 45 children from 44 families – and in Druzhkivka urban territorial community, with 74 children from 49 families.

Ryzhakova added that during the past week, 48 children from 33 families were forcibly evacuated from Donetsk region, the majority – 36 children from 23 families – from the Druzhkivka community.

As reported earlier, 168 children still remain in settlements of Donetsk region where forced evacuation of families with children is ongoing.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine