Mariupol
A woman digs ground as damaged buildings are being demolished by heavy duty machine as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Mariupol's Russian controlled territory, Ukraine on March 16, 2023.
  • Russian authorities made Ukrainians living in occupied towns evacuate or sign liability waivers.
  • If anyone refused to evacuate, they had to sign papers saying Russia wasn't responsible for them.
  • Citizens told The New York Times that Russia forced evacuations ahead of a Ukrainian counterattack.

Authorities are telling Ukrainians living in Russian-occupied territories to evacuate ahead of Kyiv's expected counteroffensive. But the majority of citizens are refusing to leave their homes, so the Russian occupation authorities are forcing them to sign papers relieving Moscow of any liability or responsibility for them.