Russia 'Forcibly' Evicts Civilians From Their Homes To Accommodate Ukrainians Who Support War

The Russian army is forcing Ukrainian civilians out of their homes and giving the houses to citizens who are supporting the invasion of their country, according to an intelligence report.

In a report posted on Facebook by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (UAF) on Sunday, Ukraine said Ukrainians in the city of Tokmak in the temporarily occupied region of Zaporizhzhia are being asked to move out onto the streets in order to accommodate local collaborators.

"The Russian occupation forces forcefully evict civilians from their homes in order to accommodate local collaborators who support the Russian occupation authorities and work as part of the enemy's so-called 'law enforcement agencies' in the city of Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia Oblast," the intelligence report read. "The householders are ordered to leave their homes and move out onto the street."

In addition to forcibly evicting civilians, the UAF General Staff also accused members of the Russian army of conducting searches in the village of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, adding that they are stealing the boats and water vehicles from locals.

The UAF General Staff's reporting comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine extends into its 12th month. Since the war began, some 14 million Ukrainians have been driven out of their homes described by the United Nations as "the fastest, largest displacement witnessed in decades," as per a November 2022 report.

Ukraine is bracing for a possible spring offensive by the Russian army to mark the first anniversary of the war. Not all weaponry committed by Western allies are likely to arrive in time, but Ukraine's outgoing Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said they have enough reserves to hold off an offensive.

In addition, Reznikov warned that Russia would likely call on a large contingent of mobilized troops to join its next offensive. He claimed that the numbers at the border suggest that Russia may send nearly 500,000 troops.

"We do not underestimate our enemy," Reznikov said while speaking to French media, The Guardian reported. "Officially, they announced 300,000, but when we see the troops at the borders, according to our assessments it is much more."

Reznikov also suggested that the offensive could target two areas: eastern Ukraine, where Russian and Ukrainian forces have been locked in brutal fighting over recent months, and the country's south.