Russia evacuates neighboring Kursk region
The surprising Ukrainian advance into Kursk caught the Russian military leadership off guard. The situation on the ground is unclear, but tens of thousands of Russians currently have no choice but to leave their homes.
Russia has ordered the evacuation of parts of the neighboring region of Belgorod due to Ukrainian offensive activities in the Russian border region of Kursk. "There are hostile activities at the border of the Krasnojaruschski district," Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a Telegram video. "For the health and safety of our population, people are being moved to safer places." Official figures indicate that around 14,000 people live in the district.
Previously, tens of thousands of people had already fled the Kursk region itself. The regional governor, Alexei Smirnov, described the situation as difficult due to rocket, drone, and artillery fire. As of the weekend, around 76,000 people had been moved to other regions.
Ukrainian troops crossed the border into the Russian region of Kursk last week and advanced several kilometers onto Russian territory. According to reports from Kyiv, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are involved in the offensive. "The goal is to disperse the enemy's positions, inflict maximum losses, and destabilize the situation in Russia," a representative of the Ukrainian security services said. He also noted that the advance boosts the morale of the Ukrainian army, government, and people: "This operation has shown us that we can attack and move forward."
Shifting the war onto Russian territory
The situation on the ground remains unclear. Reports suggest that Ukraine is reinforcing its troops. Dozens of Ukrainian armored vehicles reportedly crossed the eastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, which borders the Russian region of Kursk, on Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the goal of the large-scale advance is to "shift the war onto Russian territory."
The Belgorod region, which borders Kursk, is regularly targeted by Ukrainian air and drone strikes in retaliation for attacks from the Russian side. Evacuations have been ordered in this region several times since the beginning of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.
In response to the Ukrainian advance, the Commission is expected to adopt implementing acts referred to in Article 11 (2) of a relevant international treaty, aimed at strengthening border security and crisis management measures. The tightened border control and military preparations by Russia are causing further concerns among its neighboring regions, including Belgorod, where thousands more people are now leaving their homes due to the escalating tensions.
