Cities in northern Ukraine get ready for possible invasion by Belarusian troops

Cities in northern Ukraine, on the border with Belarus, are taking steps to prevent a possible land intervention by Belarusian military forces, the Zhytomyr mayor, Serhiy Suhomlyn, told of AGERPRES on Monday.

He claims that the city is getting ready to defend itself on three lines, with defence points being established tens of kilometres far from the city centre.

"We are very close to the border with Belarus. The city of Zhytomyr is preparing for a possible intervention by Belarus. We basically started this the next day. You have seen how much has been done in the city in this regard. Many defence points have been established, around the city, and we are now close to complete our third defence line. It measures tens of kilometres. The biggest danger is represented by the artillery systems, GRAD missile systems, and we have seen the disastrous effects in Chernivtsi, Sumi and Mariupol, when these uncontrollable missiles produced damaged in civilian areas. Understanding the distance from Belarus, we formed these lines of defence a few dozen kilometres far from the centre of Zhytomyr," Suhomlyn said.

The mayor's statements come in the context of information that the border between Belarus and Ukraine would have provided possible access areas for the Belarusian military to Ukrainian territory. On Sunday, the Belarusian press published information and images about a floating bridge over the Pripyat River in the town of Petrikov in the Gomel region, to the Lelchitsk district, which is on the border with the Rivne region of Ukraine.

At the same time, the mayor says that, since the beginning of the war, nine civilians have died in the city of Zhytomyr, and 16 others have been injured. Also, 40 houses have been destroyed by bombing.

"Nine persons have died among the civilians in Zhytomyr, and sixteen others were injured. A school and a garrison house were completely destroyed, and a fuel depot was destroyed on the outskirts of the city. Around 40 houses of civilians have also been destroyed. After the bombings, the heating plant was destroyed, and also, partially, the water pipes. A part of the city was left without heating for a while. A few wards of the maternity hospital were damaged, the same as the six-story building of the City Hospital no. 2. The City Hospital No. 1, and the Kindergarten No. 22, have been partially affected," added Serhiy Suhomlyn.

He says the Zhytomyr authorities are supporting the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv and the surrounding area of the Capital City. The refugees are transported to Zhytomyr, where they receive accommodation and meals, and from there they are boarded by trains bound for Western Ukraine.

"Most of the refugees do not stay in Zhytomyr, but move on. We take them out of Kyiv with our buses, then we provide them accommodation and food, and later we take them on trains and send them on to western Ukraine," he said.

On the other hand, Serhiy Suhomlyn mentions that almost 45pct of the population of the city he manages has fled the war.