Over 40,000 refugees from Donbas arrived in Rostov region since start of this week - border guards

ROSTOV-ON-DON. April 13 (Interfax) - More than 14,500 refugees entered Russia's Rostov region from the territory of Donbas, including from Mariupol, in the past 24 hours, the press service for the regional border guard directorate of the Russian Federal Security Service said.

"More than 14,500 citizens crossed the border into Russia through checkpoints located in the Rostov region over the past 24 hours," the report said.

More than 15,000 people entered the Rostov region on Tuesday and more than 12,500 entered on Monday, the report said.

The authorities of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics have been organizing the evacuation of women, children and elderly people to Russia since February 18. Refugees first go to the Rostov region, from where they are redirected to other regions of Russia.