Donetsk Oblast to impose 19-hour curfew from 1 November, residents urged to evacuate
From 1 November, a 19-hour curfew from 16:00 to 11:00 will be in effect across Donetsk Oblast, with the exception of the Oleksandrivska and Cherkaska communities, where the curfew remains at 21:00 to 05:00. The head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin, signed the order on 19 October and cited intensifying Russian shelling of populated areas as the reason. He stated that no safe places remain in the oblast and called on residents, especially families with children, to evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine.
Key points
- From 1 November, a 19-hour curfew from 16:00 to 11:00 will apply across Donetsk Oblast.
- The Oleksandrivska and Cherkaska communities are exempt; their curfew stays at 21:00 to 05:00.
- The order was signed on 19 October by Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration.
- Filashkin cited intensifying Russian shelling of populated areas as the reason for the measure.
- Filashkin stated that no safe places remain in Donetsk Oblast.
- He called on residents, especially families with children, to evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine.
- While several oblasts eased curfews in September (Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi now run 01:00–05:00), Donetsk is moving in the opposite direction.
Why it matters
The measure dramatically restricts civilian movement across most of Donetsk Oblast, leaving residents only five hours per day outside the curfew. The accompanying call for evacuation of families with children reflects the administration's assessment that no part of the oblast is safe. It underscores the sharp deterioration of the security situation in the region and contrasts with the trend in several other Ukrainian regions that have eased curfew hours in recent months.
What happened
From 1 November, a 19-hour curfew from 16:00 to 11:00 will take effect across Donetsk Oblast, with the exception of the Oleksandrivska and Cherkaska communities, where the curfew remains unchanged at 21:00 to 05:00. The order was signed by Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, on 19 October and announced via social media. Filashkin cited the security situation in the region as the reason for the measure, stating that Russia is intensifying shelling of populated areas and that risks for civilians are constantly growing. He said there are no longer any safe places in Donetsk Oblast and called on residents, especially families with children, to evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine.
Background
Martial law has been in effect in Ukraine since 24 February 2022, and curfews have been a standing feature of that regime. In September, several oblasts, including Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Poltava, Vinnytsia, and Chernivtsi, shortened their curfews to 01:00–05:00, while frontline regions such as Donetsk Oblast are moving in the opposite direction.