Russia preparing for forced evacuations to Crimea, Ukraine claims

Russia has "intensified preparations" for the forced evacuation of civilians in occupied regions of southern Ukraine to Crimea at the end of the month, Ukraine's military has claimed.

In a Telegram post, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said Russian-installed officials had organised a "survey of the local population" in the cities of Melitopol, in Zaporizhzhia, and Skadovsk in Kherson. 
It claimed the "presence of a Russian passport, registration and level of education" were checked as part of the survey.

"There is a periodic departure of buses with those wishing to evacuate," the General Staff said.
"The occupiers are spreading information that the forced evacuation of the civilian population will begin at the end of April."

Yesterday, the Ukrainian military claimed Russia was forcing civilians in occupied areas to obtain Russian passports using violent methods.
At present, Russia occupies the area on the east bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson, and the majority of the Zaporizhzhia region.