Kiev, Sep 1 (IANS): The Ukrainian government is advising people from contested areas in the east and south of the country to flee before the cold season begins.

"I urge evacuation from Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhya and part of the Kharkiv region before the onset of cold weather," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told Ukrainian television on Wednesday.

"Those who can should leave gradually in a planned manner."

She also advised no one to return to these areas before next spring, even if the problem of heat supply was solved. So far, she said, the government has only ordered forced evacuation for the Donetsk region. This is currently being examined for other areas or parts of them, Vereshchuk added.

The Ukrainian leadership is expecting a difficult winter because of the Russian war. The supply of heat, electricity and water will not function or will only function to a limited extent in some parts of the country because of the damage to the infrastructure, dpa news agency reported.