Ukraine tells residents to leave dozens of villages near city of Kupiansk

Local authorities in Ukraine ordered the evacuation of residents from dozens of villages on Tuesday near the all-but-destroyed northeastern city of Kupiansk, citing the "worsening security situation," in a region that has faced heavy Russian attacks.

Oleh Syniehubov, governor of northeastern Kharkiv region, wrote on Telegram that a total of 409 families with 601 children were told to leave 27 localities.

Another official in the affected area later told public broadcaster Suspilne that the list of localities to be evacuated had been expanded to 40.

For months, Russian forces have been attacking and advancing on the city of Kupiansk, seen as a key target in their push westward through central and Eastern Ukraine in the more than three-and-a-half year-old war.

The town was initially seize