(Previous Incident Code: RUK0201)

On May 2 2022, a convoy of vehicles engaged in the evacuation of Ruska Lozova was reportedly hit by mortar fire allegedly directed by Russian forces. According to local media, two cars were damaged and one civilian was injured.

In a post published on Facebook, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, mayor of the neighboring town Derhachi, described the event, stating, “Today we continued the evacuation of residents of Ruska Lozova. Entering the village, our evacuation column of vehicles came under enemy mortar fire, one of the volunteers was injured, whose car was mutilated by shell fragments.” Further detail was given to the outlet Suspielne Media by a volunteer involved in the effort, who said, “Five cars drove by, we drove in the second five in the second car. And as soon as we return to the village, two shells fall in front of us, one in the field, and the other in front of us, we drive up, one of our volunteers is standing, wounded hands, neck.”

According to the Ukrainian outlet Vikna, efforts to evacuate civilians from Ruska Lozova, which lies close to the North of Kharkiv along route E105, had been taking place for several days following the withdrawal of Russian forces. In its coverage of the events of May 2, it reported, “Despite continuous shelling, 200 people managed to be taken out, who had been in occupation for two months.” Kharkov Comments subsequently reported that this brought the total number of people evacuated from the community to 1500.

Ukrainian news outlets published photographs showing volunteers and local residents readying themselves for evacuation.

This assessment has reference to ACLED code UKR57036.