Berlin, March 8, (dpa/GNA) – About 3,000 people have been brought to safety from the embattled Ukrainian town of Irpin so far, according to the authorities.
“The evacuation of the population from the town of Irpin to Kiev continues,” Ukraine’s civil protection agency announced on Tuesday. “Nearly 3,000 civilians have been provided with assistance.” Irpin residents have neither water nor electricity, according to the UNIAN news agency.
Fierce fighting has been going on for days around Irpin, about 25 kilometres northwest of the Ukrainian capital. Russian troops have occupied part of the town, which had about 45,000 inhabitants before the Russian invasion began.
Most recently, pictures from Irpin showed hundreds of civilians huddled under a destroyed bridge, being led across makeshift footbridges by Ukrainian soldiers.
On Sunday, at least eight people were killed when Russian troops shelled the escape route, according to Kiev. There has also been fierce fighting for control of the nearby towns of Bucha, Hostomel and Vorzel since the start of the conflict.
GNA