Pro-Russia separatist leaders have called for able-bodied individuals to take up arms and defend their land while ordering mass evacuations from eastern Ukraine, as per Newsweek. 

Denis Pushilin, the head of the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk announced that women, children, and the elderly would be moved to the evacuation centres located in the Rostov region, across the border. Meanwhile, those who could take up arms would be asked to stay back and fight. 

“I again appeal to all men able to hold a rifle in their hands, to come to the defense of their land”, Pushilin said, as per ABC News. 

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At the same time, Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk People’s Republic also called for similar evacuation plans with the aim of reducing civilian casualties, TASS, a Russian agency reported. He also made a similar appeal to able-bodied individuals to arm themselves and defend the area, as per Axios reports. 

Both these leaders have backed Russia and blamed Ukraine for threatening war. However, Ukraine has denied their claims, and plan to launch an investigation into these regions, Newsweek has reported. Further, they’ve accused the separatists of unleashing a string of attacks. 

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Most of this tension has been focused in the Donbas region, which has been a conflict zone for several years. 

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The situation between Ukraine and Russia has become exceedingly tense, with the latter amassing massive troops along Ukraine’s borders. Recently, news emerged of partial pullback of troops on Russia’s part. However, the NATO nations remain unconvinced, and the US has expressed certainty that Russia will invade Ukraine in the coming days. 

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken predicted that Russia is likely to create a pretext for attacking. Meanwhile, Russia has rubbished any claims of invasion and have remained resolute that NATO must block Ukraine’s entry into the organization and decrease its military presence in eastern Europe.