A loud warning siren sounded in the centre of Donetsk on Friday after the regional leader in the self-proclaimed Donestk Republic announced an evacuation of residents, Reuters has reported.

The head of the self-declared Luhansk Republic also announced an evacuation of residents.

People will start being bussed out from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic on Friday at 8 p.m. local time, according to Interfax news agency.