Russia Evacuates Border Villages Amid Conflict

Russia is evacuating villages in the Kursk region, close to the Ukrainian border, following Ukraine’s surprise military incursion. The evacuation order applies to villages within a 15-kilometer zone near the border, although the exact number of evacuees or the specific villages affected has not been detailed. This evacuation came nearly six weeks after Ukraine’s offensive began.

Moscow claims to have launched a counter-offensive, retaking at least a dozen villages from Ukrainian control over the past week. The governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, announced the obligatory evacuation for the Rylsky and Khomutovsky districts. Local authorities are working to ensure the safety of residents in the border zone.

Since the start of Ukraine’s offensive on August 6, more than 150,000 people from the Kursk region have fled their homes. Ukrainian forces have reportedly advanced across several kilometers of Russian territory and seized multiple settlements, including the border town of Sudzha.

This incursion by Ukraine is the largest foreign military operation on Russian soil since World War II. The surprise offensive caught Moscow off-guard, leading to significant territorial gains for Ukraine in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

References

• Russia Evacuates Villages Near Ukraine Border Amid Ongoing Incursion
• Russia evacuates border villages in Kursk region
• Russia evacuates villages in Kursk region amid ongoing conflict with Ukraine