(ANSA) - ROMA, 12 AGO - epa10116801 A picture taken during a
visit to Berdyansk organised by the Russian military shows a
couple enjoys the water park in Berdyansk, Zaporizhia region,
Ukraine, 11 August 2022 (Issued 12 August 2022). The city of
Berdyansk is located on the territory controlled by the troops
of the Russian Federation and the city is administered by the
Military-Civilian Administration controlled by Russia. Berdyansk
is a large resort city on the shores of the Azov Sea. Thousands
of vacationers visited it in the summer. This year, due to the
conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the city's beaches and
hotels are without tourists. City businessmen place some
thousand IDPs from Mariupol and other parts of Ukraine in their
recreation centres providing food, accommodation and
rehabilitation for people. For IDPs with children, the city
water park operates free of charge. The head of the Zaporizhia
region, Yevgeny Balitsky, announced that he had signed an order
to hold a referendum on the issue of joining the region to
Russia in early September 2022. Twelve headquarters for
preparations for a referendum on joining the Russian Federation
opened in Berdyansk and Berdyansk district of Zaporizhia region,
said the head of the military-civilian administration of
Berdyansk and Berdyansk region Alexander Saulenko. On 24
February 2022 Russian troops entered the Ukrainian territory in
what the Russian president declared a 'Special Military
Operation', starting an armed conflict that has provoked
destruction and a humanitarian crisis. EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY
(ANSA).