Ukraine has ordered the evacuation of thousands of children and their parents from frontline settlements in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, citing a rapidly deteriorating security situation as Russian forces continue to advance.

Ukraine’s Restoration Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said on Friday that authorities had decided to forcibly evacuate more than 3,000 children and their parents from 44 frontline settlements in the two regions. The announcement was made via a statement on Telegram.

Evacuations extend to northern Ukraine

Kuleba said evacuations were also ongoing in the northern Chernihiv region, which borders Belarus and has faced repeated Russian shelling. Since June 1, around 150,000 people have been relocated from frontline areas to safer regions across the country.

“Among them are nearly 18,000 children and more than 5,000 people with limited mobility,” the minister said, highlighting the scale of displacement as the conflict nears its fourth year.

Massive drone attack on Zaporizhzhia

The evacuation order followed what local authorities described as one of the most intense drone attacks on Zaporizhzhia in recent months. According to regional governor Ivan Fedorov, at least nine drones struck the city overnight, damaging dozens of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. No casualties were reported.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 116 long-range drones across the country during the attack. Of these, 86 were intercepted, while 27 reportedly reached their targets.

Russia’s battlefield gains increase

Russian forces, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, have continued pressing their offensive, particularly in the industrial Dnipropetrovsk region. An analysis by AFP, based on data from the Institute for the Study of War, found that Russia captured more than 5,600 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in 2025 — the largest annual gain since the first year of the invasion.

Diplomatic push continues

Amid the fighting, Kyiv is set to host security advisers from about 15 allied countries on Saturday, alongside representatives from the European Union and NATO. A US delegation is expected to join the talks virtually.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a US-brokered peace proposal was “90 per cent” ready, though the most contentious issue — territory — remains unresolved. A follow-up summit of allied leaders is planned in France next week.

Despite diplomatic efforts, officials warn that evacuations are likely to continue as Russia maintains pressure along multiple frontlines