Another 59,000 Russians in Kursk to be evacuated
Fighting in the Russian border region continues. According to military bloggers, Ukrainians are trying to capture more territory. The number of evacuees has risen to nearly 200,000, according to officials. The situation remains unclear at a crucial gas hub.
Ukraine is pushing its offensive in the Russian border region. It attacked with drones and ground troops attempted to break through Russian defense lines to gain more territory. Russian war bloggers reported heavy fighting in the Kursk region, where Russia managed to repel some attacks.
Authorities warned of rocket attacks. Evacuations continued. In Kursk, officials say they are evacuating another 59,000 people, after 121,000 had already left their homes. Additionally, 11,000 civilians have been evacuated in the neighboring region of Belgorod, according to local authorities. The Ukrainian troops' incursion into Russian territory began a week ago, seemingly catching Russia off guard.
Since then, Ukrainian units claim to have captured 1,000 square kilometers of territory, more than the area of Berlin. However, Russia claims the area under Ukrainian control is less than half that size. The situation in Sudzha, a town through which Russian gas is pumped to the Slowakia and other EU countries, remains unclear. Some Russian social media channels reported that the town had fallen into Ukrainian hands.
These claims could not be independently verified. On Monday, Gazprom announced that gas was still being pumped through the hub. In 2023, around 14.65 billion cubic meters of gas were supplied via Sudzha, which is about half of Russia's gas exports to Europe or about five percent of EU consumption.
The International Commission expressed concern over the escalating conflict in the Russian border region. Despite Russian denials, The Commission is investigating claims of Ukrainian control over Sudzha, a crucial gas hub.
