Russia has evacuated over 76,000 citizens from the Russian-Ukrainian border in Kursk Oblast as Ukraine continues its incursion in the region, Russian-state-controlled media Tass reported on Aug. 10.
Evacuated civilians have been moved to temporary residence centers that have opened across western Russia, including Moscow Oblast. So far, 60 centers, including 26 in Kursk Oblast, are accommodating 4,400 people, according to the head of Russia’s Emergency Ministry Artem Sharov.
The Ukrainian military launched the incursion across the border on Aug. 6. Kyiv has so far maintained a policy of silence on the incursion, despite the ongoing fighting and Ukraine advancing deeper into Russian territory.
Anti-Kremlin Russian armed groups fighting for Ukraine and Ukrainian military intelligence have previously raided Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, although without holding territory for long. This is the first time regular Ukrainian forces have entered Russia.
Without directly mentioning the incursion into Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 8 that "Russia brought war to our land, and it should feel what it has done.”
Russian authorities on Aug. 9 introduced a so-called "counter-terrorism operation" in Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod oblasts.
Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry also said on Aug. 9 that the situation in Kursk Oblast had been declared a "federal emergency," and began sending additional military equipment into the region.
Ukrainian media on Aug. 10 reported that Ukrainian troops had apparently entered the village of Poroz, in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, three kilometers away from the Ukrainian border.
Dmytro Basmat
