Evacuation in the right-bank Kherson region today is a complex, multi-layered process. The Russians show no mercy to civilians, hunt evacuation teams, and safe routes essentially do not exist. This has fundamentally changed evacuation rules, approaches to safety, and coordination among different structures in the process.
Humanitarian missions in the coastal settlements of Kherson Oblast are coordinated and accompanied by specialists from the Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) department. They work directly with the civilian population in the most dangerous areas near the front line. To find out what the evacuation process looks like today, MOST spoke with Serhiy Vorona, head of the CIMIC section of the 121st Separate Territorial Defense Brigade.
According to Serhiy Vorona, the evacuation process actually begins with the person who wants to leave a dangerous settlement. They must contact the village elder or the head of the rural military administration — or register a request on the government’s hotline. That’s all the civilian has to do. Next, it’s the military’s job. They calculate the shortest, safest route, and on the appointed day remove the person from the risk zone. Currently, in the area of responsibility of the CIMIC of the 121st brigade, all minors have been evacuated. Mostly pensioners remain.
The evacuation process itself is complex and requires calculating the smallest details and involving a large number of specialists.
“We cannot, in essence, speak in terms of timeframes. Because you have to consider factors such as the security component, the weather — the clearer the sky, the more dangerous — so we often wait for rain or cloudy weather. CIMIC units, electronic warfare and reconnaissance units, and air defense specialists are involved, that is, air defense units that can cover the sky and shoot down enemy drones. It is not uncommon that a person can be evacuated, but Russian forces try to chase the team with FPV drones. Depending on the case, medics may also be involved, because the person being evacuated may be injured. We had a case when we evacuated a man who was injured in an FPV attack, and the maximum number of units and human resources were involved there,” — notes Serhiy Vorona.
Enemy mines also complicate the situation. According to the head of the CIMIC section of the 121st brigade, the enemy does not spare explosive devices, sowing paths, walkways, and civilians’ yards with them like petals. Because of this, there are virtually no safe places left in the coastal areas. Enemy drones pose the greatest danger.
Serhiy Vorona notes that the military constantly have to work under fire. Of course, when preparing for an evacuation, specialists try to take into account and minimize risks as much as possible. In particular, this includes weather conditions (the worse they are — the lower the threat from above), time of day, and the terrain, because each settlement has its own relief and specifics. However, it is impossible to guarantee a 100% safe process. That is why, in his opinion, civilians who wish to evacuate must become full participants in the process and help the military.
“Many specialists of various levels and structures are involved in the evacuation process. Of course, every person is inviolable; no one forces anyone into a car. There are numerous cases when a person calls the hotlines, asks for help, a group goes there, stands and waits at the evacuation point, and the person simply refuses to come out because it’s raining outside. Or says “Nothing flew into the yard for a day, and I will not go”, — reports Serhiy Vorona.
Speaking about civilians’ involvement in their own rescue from dangerous settlements, the serviceman recalls a story about an elderly woman who wanted to evacuate and complained of feeling unwell. Having carefully calculated the route and involved various units and medics, CIMIC specialists took the woman to the nearest safe settlement.
“On the way she asked to be taken to an ATM, and after she withdrew cash, she said: “Take me home”. Although there isn’t a single shop operating in that settlement. So it’s unclear what she needed the cash for,” — jokes Serhiy Vorona.
At the same time, what seems like an amusing story to us is everyday life for CIMIC specialists. Therefore, civilians who are near the front line are constantly being explained that they must not neglect their own lives and the lives of the people involved in their rescue.
“The same living people are involved, who are either military or from the National Police, in order to extract the person as quickly as possible. And at that moment they risk their lives, because they can also come under artillery fire, and under FPV attacks, and are exposed to danger from mine-explosive devices. This is not about equipment, not about money — this is about the lives and health of the servicemen, policemen, medics, and, in the first place, the person who asked for help,” — emphasizes the serviceman.
Serhiy Vorona emphasizes — you should not hesitate if you want to evacuate to a safe place of residence. The state is currently implementing a number of programs that assist people who are leaving front-line territories.
Residents who leave will be provided with medical accompaniment, assisted with housing and with arranging all necessary social programs, Serhiy Vorona summarizes.