UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Jul. 3 — Local authorities have expanded the evacuation zone in the Kharkiv region to cover 60 settlements across three districts, Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of the region, said during a briefing.

The newly expanded evacuation area is home to 11,833 people, including 1,392 children and 722 people with limited mobility, according to regional authorities.

Syniehubov said the decision was made in advance to protect civilians as the security situation in the area deteriorates. He said Russian forces have expanded the so-called gray zone and increased attacks with drones, including fiber-optic drones, targeting civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and civilian vehicles.

Officials declared mandatory evacuations in parts of the Kupiansk, Bohodukhiv, and Kharkiv districts. In some areas near the Russian border, authorities also ordered the mandatory evacuation of children with their families.

The move comes as Russian forces intensify pressure on several parts of Kharkiv oblast, which borders Russia and has faced repeated cross-border attacks throughout the full-scale war.

In April, Russian forces launched 110 kamikaze drones at Bohodukhiv, the administrative center of one of the affected districts, over four days, marking one of the largest attacks on the city in 2026.

Ukrainian military officials also recently reported Russia’s first attempts to advance from the border toward the Derhachi community north of Kharkiv.

Authors: Yeva Gorbal, Nazar Hlamazda

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