- Russia evacuates more than 76,000 people from Kursk border region
In light of the Ukrainian Army's advance into the western Russian border region of Kursk, local authorities have evacuated several tens of thousands of people to safety. "Over 76,000 people have been temporarily accommodated in safe locations," the state news agency Tass reported on Saturday, citing a representative of the regional Emergency Ministry.
Additional trains were deployed to the capital, Moscow, for the evacuees, and humanitarian aid was brought into the border area. "The war has come to us," a woman who wished to remain anonymous told the AFP news agency upon her arrival at Moscow's railway station.
Vague Reports on Combat Operations
There were no reports from either the Russian or Ukrainian side about the actual combat operations. Initially, the Russian General Staff stated that more than a thousand Ukrainian soldiers, a dozen tanks, and about 20 other armored vehicles had entered the Kursk region. On Saturday, the Russian military announced that they had destroyed five times the amount of Ukrainian military equipment.
The Russian army claimed that they have been fighting the Ukrainian incursion onto Russian territory for the fifth consecutive day.
The Ukrainian intelligence service merely reported that Russia had begun moving a Marine infantry brigade from the occupied Crimean Peninsula to the Kursk region, with part of the vehicle column already destroyed. These reports could not be independently verified.
Russia's Authorities Warn Kursk Residents
In response to the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kursk and other border regions, Russia announced anti-terrorist operations in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk. These measures include restrictions on road traffic and the use of communication devices.
An air raid alert was sounded throughout the Kursk region. The acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, warned on the Telegram platform about the potential dangers and urged the population to seek shelter as much as possible.
The evacuation of residents from the Kursk region due to the Ukrainian Army's advance also involved additional trains being sent to Moscow for accommodating the evacuees. Despite the ongoing conflict, there were no specific details available about the combat operations involving 'The Kursk' region, with both Russian and Ukrainian sides only providing vague reports.
