Ukrainian rescuers evacuate people as Russians advance; Zelensky says Ukraine needs more weapons – BNN

Ukrainian rescuers evacuate the neighborhood of Torecka as Russian forces continue to advance north and south of Torecka, pushing into several parts of the eastern front and threatening to eventually completely encircle the former coal mining town and its surroundings, leaving behind ruined buildings and a grim situation, Thursday, 9 .in May, reports “Reuters”.

Anzhelika Sharonova and her 86-year-old mother fled their hard-hit eastern Ukrainian town this week as the bombings continued, leaving their home with only a few bags.

“Bombs are falling near our houses,” she said.

Since 2014, the situation in Torecka, embroiled in the conflict, has worsened due to the intensification of Russian strikes, and the lack of basic services in the city has made life practically impossible, with residents relying on humanitarian aid in an almost deserted city, where there are few necessary services, and the constant sound of gunfire can be heard on the streets.

On the other hand, in a nearby village, rockets had hit almost all the houses, with authorities reporting that a day before the evacuation, a Russian airstrike hit the local police station.

Of the at least 66,000 inhabitants who lived in Torecka before the invasion,

fewer than 12,000 people remain there, regional police said.

Members of East SOS, an aid group that helps evacuate civilians, respond to calls to evacuate around two dozen people from the war-torn Donetsk region every week.

“Every day it is more and more dangerous for people to stay in their homes,” said Vladislavs Arseniys, East SOS rescuer.

Those who remain in Torecka, where the countryside outside the city has both fresh and decades-old trenches, are determined to stay until their homes are completely destroyed, Arseny said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Thursday,

that Ukraine could stop the advance of Russian forces in the east of the country if the allied countries increase and speed up the supply of arms, remarks were made at a joint press conference with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsol, who visited Kyiv on Europe Day.

Air raid sirens began to sound during Zelensky’s speech, underscoring the ongoing threat to Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure.

“How are you feeling, Roberta?” he asked Metsola, who was standing a few meters away.

“I feel good, but […] now I understand what you go through every day,” she replied.

At the end of April, Ukrainian troops retreated from three eastern villages, as Ukraine’s top commander pointed to a worsening situation on the front. The U.S. approved a major military aid bill last month, but units are still waiting for new weapons, with Zelenskiy saying current supplies are falling short of expectations.

Zelensky added that the increased domestic production of drones and artillery ammunition has helped Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s continued attacks.

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