MELITOPOL, May 5. /TASS/. Residents of 18 settlements in the Zaporozhye Region, including Energodar, will be temporarily relocated to safer places due to intensified shelling by Ukrainian troops, acting governor of the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, said on Friday.

"In recent days, the enemy has intensified shelling attacks on settlements located in direct proximity to the combat engagement line. Bearing this in mind, I have made a decision to evacuate first of all children and their parents, the elderly, people with disabilities and hospital patients from the frontline deeper into the region," he wrote on his Telegram channel. "People will be temporarily evacuated from the settlements of Timoshovka, Smirnovka, Tarasovka, Orlyanskoye, Molochansk, Kuibyshevo, Prishib, Tokmak, Malaya Belozerka, Vasilyevka, Velikaya Belozerka, Dneproprudnoye, Mikhailovka, Kamenka-Dneprovskaya, Energodar, Pologi, Konskiye Razdory, and Rozovka."

"We cannot risk people’s safety and will provide funds for their orderly departure, lump-sum payments, accommodations, and meals. People will be temporarily accommodated within the region’s boundaries," Balitsky added.

"I would like to stress that this is a mandatory measure to ensure the safety of residents living in frontline territories. The Kiev criminals are deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure. We take into account their methods of warfare and take appropriate measures," he emphasized.