The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has signed a law regulating the procedure for the mandatory evacuation of the population from areas where combat operations are taking place or may take place. The document pays special attention to the evacuation of children, even if their parents oppose such a decision.
This is reported by Finway
Key Changes in the Law on Evacuation of Children
The new law No. 4779-IX establishes that the child’s right to life takes precedence. From now on, military administrations are authorized to make decisions regarding the mandatory relocation of children to safe regions, regardless of their parents’ consent. This allows for the protection of minors from the threat of shelling in dangerous areas.
“Law No. 4779-IX allows for the evacuation of children from active combat zones even in cases where parents refuse. The law stipulates that the child’s right to life is paramount, so military administrations now have the authority to approve decisions regarding the mandatory relocation of minors to safe regions to protect them from shelling.”
The decision on evacuation made by the military administration must be approved by a coordination headquarters established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. This process should take no more than two days from the moment the evacuation decision is made.
Scale of Evacuations from Frontline Regions
According to Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction, Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba, from June 1, 2025, until early January 2026, 150,000 people have already been evacuated from areas adjacent to the front lines to safer regions. Among them are nearly 18,000 children and over 5,000 people with limited mobility.
During the state of martial law, mandatory evacuation is carried out from settlements located in areas of active or potential combat operations, as defined in a special list.