A Ukrainian woman died on Friday as the Russian military opened fire on a group of civilians being evacuated by Ukrainian police. The incident occurred near the front line in Bakhmut, located in the Donetsk region.
Authorities reported that a group of twenty people was sheltering in a building very close to the combat line. Evacuating them required substantial resources and careful coordination, as confirmed by the National Police of the Donetsk Region.
To carry out the rescue, leadership from the Police, the State Emergency Service, the Regional Military Administration, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine joined the operation. Evacuation teams, consisting of police officers, medics, and special forces, were assembled from the Angel Blanco unit and were tasked with escorting the civilian evacuees. The regional police chief, Ruslan Osypenko, stated that the route was extremely dangerous and that the evacuation was conducted at night to minimize risk, with the Armed Forces of Ukraine providing route support. Osypenko also supervised the operation at the scene.
During the operation, a soldier and civilian drivers transported people in private vehicles to a designated drop-off point under escort by police patrols. Evacuation occurred in several phases, with some individuals leaving the bunker while others remained behind. Only five people managed to evacuate from the bunker at that moment; the fates of the remaining individuals were not immediately known. On the road, shelling forced the abandonment of some vehicles, and an elderly woman was killed in front of her son, who survived. Four men who had lived in the bunker for at least a month were eventually moved to safety, and their families had been evacuated earlier. The community reported severe destruction to homes and limited food supplies as the conflict continued. The regional military administration has since arranged for essential assistance to the evacuees, and a memorial site will be designated for the deceased woman so her son can arrange a burial.
Observers noted that the operation underscored the perilous conditions faced by civilians near front-line areas and the ongoing efforts by Ukrainian authorities to safeguard noncombatants. The events highlight the urgent need for continuous aid, protective measures for evacuees, and clear communication about the location and status of all evacuees during such dangerous missions. Researchers and officials continue to monitor the situation to coordinate rescue efforts and humanitarian support for those displaced by the fighting.