Kiev, March 8 (IANS) The Ukrainian authorities will start a mandatory evacuation from 57 settlements in the eastern Kharkiv region, regional governor Oleg Synegubov has announced.

"We decided to carry out mandatory evacuation of residents of 57 settlements," Synegubov wrote on his Telegram channel after a meeting of the regional defense council on Thursday.

Besides, children along with their parents or legal guardians will be forcibly evacuated from 18 settlements in the Veliky Burluk and Olkhovatsky districts, Synegubov said.

The regional authorities will cooperate with the National Police and volunteers to carry out the evacuation, he added.