The separatist leader indicated that he is asking the residents to move to Rostov in Russia, claiming that the Ukrainian army will start a military operation in Donbass, the disputed area between the separatists and Ukraine.
Separately, the president of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, the second separatist-controlled region in eastern Ukraine, has announced the start of the evacuation of residents.
The Russian Interfax news agency quoted a source as saying that the bus transportation of residents from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic will begin at eight in the evening local time, Friday.
On Thursday, Ukrainian government forces denied accusations of targeting separatist sites in the east of the country, while satellite images showed the most intense Russian military activity near Ukraine.
Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine accused Kiev government forces on Thursday of using mortars to attack areas under their control, the RIA news agency reported, violating agreements aimed at ending the conflict.