- Putin accuses Kiev of another major provocation against Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the "Kiev regime" of a serious new provocation after heavy Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border region of Kursk. He said that rockets were also fired at civilian objects and residential buildings, according to a partial transmission of a government meeting on Telegram by the Kremlin. The President said he would soon receive further briefings at a meeting with the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and the FSB, which is responsible for border security.
The Ministry of Defense had previously reported that the fighting in the border region was ongoing, with soldiers and FSB forces involved. The Investigative Committee in Moscow has opened a criminal case for what it officially called a terrorist attack against Russian territory. The agency reported dozens of injured and at least three dead.
According to Russian authorities, thousands of people fled the shelled towns. There was initially no official response from Kiev. The Ukraine, in its defense against the Russian invasion, has repeatedly attacked targets in the neighboring country, aiming to disrupt military supplies from Russia, according to statements from Kiev.
The ongoing conflict in the border region has escalated into a full-blown war, with heavy Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. The Kiev regime's actions, including the firing of rockets at civilian objects, have been condemned by President Putin as a serious war provocation.
