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Russia continues to take in Donbass refugees, says Ministry of Emergency Situations

It is reported that over 9,000 evacuees from the Donbass republics had crossed the border over the past 24 hours

ROSTOV-ON-DON, February 24. /TASS/. Work on receiving and accommodating DPR and LPR evacuees to Russia continues, the press service of Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told TASS.

"The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations continues its efforts to accept and accommodate [evacuees] in temporary shelters, while providing comprehensive assistance to persons, who were forced to leave their homes," a ministry representative said.

A total of 255 temporary shelters are operating in 14 regions. Another 659 temporary shelters have been set up in 47 territorial entities of the Russian Federation for the purpose of receiving Donbass residents. "The main departments of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Rostov, Penza, Kursk, Voronezh, and Nizhny Novgorod Regions are operating in emergency mode," the ministry added. The Main Departments of the Ministry of Emergency Situation shifted to an enhanced mode of operation in eight regions.

The press service of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) border guard in the Rostov Region reported that over 9,000 evacuees from the Donbass republics had crossed the border over the past 24 hours.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported later on Thursday that Russian troops were not delivering strikes against Ukrainian cities. It emphasized that Ukrainian military infrastructure was being destroyed by precision weapons.