On Thursday, Ukraine announced the mandatory evacuation of children and their guardians from towns and villages in the vicinity of Kramatorsk, a frontline city, due to an increase in Russian drone assaults.

Kramatorsk, which had a population of about 147,000 before the war, is located roughly 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the front line in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces have concentrated their military efforts since their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In September of that year, Russia declared the annexation of this industrial region along with three others, even though it did not exert complete military control over them.

The city council stated on social media, “In response to the worsening security conditions in certain parts of the Kramatorsk community, a mandatory evacuation for families with children has been issued.”

They urged, “Residents in these areas, particularly families with children who unfortunately continue to stay there, must evacuate immediately with the assistance of evacuation services.”

Certain areas of Kramatorsk, which still exhibit the impacts of prolonged conflict, are included in the evacuation measures.

Authorities indicated that Russian forces have intensified their use of small, inexpensive drones equipped with first-person views, significantly altering the nature of warfare along the extensive front line in recent months.

Kramatorsk remains the largest civilian center and garrison town still under Ukrainian control in the Donetsk region. It was momentarily occupied by separatists backed by the Kremlin in 2014.