The occupiers have destroyed 70% of the city of Toretsk, Donetsk region. Some 3,500 civilians still remain in the settlement, said Vadym Filashkin, head of the Regional Military Administration, according to UkrInform.

Since the beginning of the all-out war, 178 residents of Toretsk have been killed and 548 injured as a result of Russian shelling. 

“Nearly 70% of the city of Toretsk has been destroyed. Two weeks ago, there were 5,500 people, and now there are 3,500. People are evacuating, but not as quickly as we would like,” said Filashkin. 

He noted that local authorities, some police units, and State Emergency Service rescuers continue to evacuate civilians from dangerous areas despite being under enemy fire and risking their lives.

In December 2023, Russian forces intensified shelling of Donetsk Oblast, which led to the decision for mandatory evacuation of the population from Ukrainian authorities. 

Toretsk, with a pre-war population of around 31,000, is located less than 8 kilometers from the front line.

Earlier, Filashkin informed that Ukrainian evacuation units could not reach Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast due to Russian constant shelling of the roads, UkrInform reported. Some 530 people remain in the settlement. 

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