LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - About 2,000 civilians have so far been evacuated from the town of Irpin near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, police said on Monday.

       A police statement did not make clear over what period the evacuations had taken place. Ukrainians fleeing Irpin were caught in shelling by Russian forces on Sunday and forced to dive for cover, Reuters witnesses said.

       (Reporting by Natalia Zinets, Editing by Timothy Heritage)