VORONEZH, February 20. /TASS/. About 1,000 refugees from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR, LPR) arrived in the Voronezh region, Deputy Chairman of the regional government Artem Verkhovtsev told reports on Sunday.

"910 people arrived, 358 of them are children," he said. According to previously released data, about 500 refugees from the DPR and LPR were expected to arrive in the region.

Verkhovtsev noted that 42 temporary accommodation centers have been set up for refugees throughout the region. All refugees will be provided with hot meals, personal hygiene products, places for comfortable living. According to Verkhovtsev, the region's authorities have said they were ready to receive 4,500 people, but this number may be increased depending on the situation.

The situation along the contact line in eastern Ukraine took a turn for the worse on the morning of February 17. The Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics reported some of the most intensive shelling by Kiev forces in recent months. The shelling damaged some civilian facilities.

On Friday, the leaders of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics announced the evacuation of the republics’ inhabitants to Russia, citing the increasing threat of hostilities.