Ukrainian authorities have ordered a mandatory evacuation for vulnerable residents of the eastern city of Kupyansk, located in the Kharkiv region, due to "constant" Russian shelling.
"Evacuation of people with limited mobility, people with disabilities and children with their parents is underway," the Kupyansk city military administration said in a Facebook post Friday. "Unfortunately, due to constant shelling of the Kupyansk community" by Russian forces "there is major destruction of critical infrastructure."
The city administration said utilities "are operating as usual" and that online classes are being organized for students.
"The educational process continues in the Kupyansk community. According to the head of the education department, 480 students have already joined the online education program. Classes are being formed," the administration said.
The Kharkiv region military administration announced the start of the mandatory evacuation on Thursday, saying the decision was made "due to constant shelling of the Kupyansk community by Russian troops."
As of Thursday, there were 812 children and 724 people with disabilities, including 140 of low mobility, in the city, according to the regional military administration.
Russian forces occupied the city in the early days of the invasion but Ukraine was able to recapture it in September 2022.
The city remains close to the hotly contested frontline east of the city, and as close as some 20 kilometers (12 miles) from areas under Russian control, according to the latest assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the city of Kupyansk is located in southern Ukraine. It is located in eastern Ukraine.