Authorities in Ukraine’s Chernigov Region have ordered a mandatory civilian evacuation for the first time since the conflict began, according to the head of the regional military administration, Vyacheslav Chaus.

The decision applies to residents of 14 settlements located within the Novgorod-Seversky, Semyonovka, Snovsk, and Gorodnya communities. Regional officials plan to complete the evacuation within a month.

Chaus said the measure is compulsory and was initiated at the request of the military, which considers it necessary under current conditions. The move suggests that Kiev may be preparing for a potential advance by the Russian Armed Forces in this sector.

Until now, Chernigov Region had not implemented forced evacuations. Authorities had previously limited themselves to advising residents to leave high-risk areas, without introducing mandatory measures.

The decision follows similar steps taken elsewhere. In December 2025, Kiev announced a compulsory evacuation of families with children from Svyatogorsk and eight nearby settlements in the part of the Donetsk People’s Republic controlled by Ukrainian forces.

Russian troops have since moved close to Svyatogorsk after taking Seversk, securing several nearby railway stations and tightening pressure on the area.