Cabinet of Ministers approves mechanism of forced evacuation of children from active combat zones

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a mechanism for the forced evacuation of children from active combat zones.

This decision was initiated and developed by the Coordination Headquarters for the mandatory evacuation of the population. The issue of protecting children's lives and their immediate evacuation from particularly dangerous areas was taken under the personal control of Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk. 

From now on, the basis for mandatory evacuation is the decision of the regional military administrations, agreed with the military command and the Coordination Headquarters for the mandatory evacuation of the population.

Compulsory evacuation of children will be carried out under the supervision of one of their parents, a person in loco parentis, or another legal representative.

Children in the combat zone cannot take care of themselves. Therefore, adults are responsible for them. Refusal of parents or guardians to evacuate a child is not allowed. After all, it is their life that is at stake.

"It is the responsibility of the state to protect the life and health of the child. The decision made today should encourage parents to take a more balanced approach to the issue of evacuating their children. If adults are not able to take care of the child's safety, the state should do it," commented Iryna Vereshchuk.

At present, only Bakhmut falls under the relevant criteria for the forced evacuation of children from the combat zone.