Self-proclaimed DPR, LPR evacuating people to Russia

DONETSK. Feb 18 (Interfax) - Residents of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) are being evacuated to the Rostov region of Russia due to growing tensions in the region, DPR head Denis Pushilin said.

"The mass, centralized departure of the population to the Russian Federation has been organized starting today, February 18. Women, children and elderly people are to be evacuated first," Pushilin said in his address to DPR residents on Friday.

"Space to accommodate citizens is ready under an agreement with the Russian Federation. All necessities will be provided to those evacuated," he said.

The DPR authorities are expecting to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from the most vulnerable categories of its population from all of its districts to Russia's Rostov region, a source with the DPR parliament told Interfax.

"The evacuation of several hundreds of thousands of people is planned. Women, children, and pensioners from all over the republic, from all districts," should be evacuated, he said. 

Meanwhile, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), Leonid Pasechnik, urged residents to leave and instructed his government to ensure evacuation to Russia. 

"To prevent civilian casualties, I am calling on the residents of the republics who do not have mobilization orders and are not involved in operating social and civilian infrastructure, to depart as soon as possible to the Russian Federation," Pasechnik said in a statement on Friday. 

He instructed local heads, law enforcement and emergency services to organize the evacuation of social facilities and take people to the checkpoints.

"The Russian Federation is ready to ensure organized reception and accommodation of LPR residents on its territory," Pasechnik said.