Ukraine extends invitation to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit Kursk region.
The Ukrainian administration aims to establish that it, contrastingly to Russia, adheres to human rights in regions under its military's control. To achieve this, it plans to invite the United Nations and the Red Cross for a firsthand investigation. Russia, evidently, is unhappy about this move.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha has extended an invitation to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to examine the situation in the Russian border region of Kursk, which is currently under Ukrainian control. "Ukraine is prepared to showcase its commitment to humanitarian international law," Sybiha declared on a certain date. While, simultaneously, Russian authorities in Kursk have mandated the evacuation of several villages. Sybiha further clarified that he had instructed the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to "officially extend an invitation for the UN and the ICRC to partake in humanitarian activities in the Kursk region."
Ukraine launched an unexpected offensive in the Russian border region of Kursk at the beginning of August, claiming control over more than a thousand square kilometers and numerous villages. The government in Kyiv now aims to demonstrate that it respects human rights, treats Russian civilians kindly, and does not engage in war crimes. Russia is accused of heinous acts on Ukrainian territory under its management.
Since the onset of the offensive in Kursk, Ukrainian forces have demonstrated that they "strictly comply with humanitarian international law" and ensure "humanitarian aid" and the safety of civilians, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.
Peskov labels it as a provocation
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow severely criticized Kyiv's invitation to the UN and ICRC. "This is purely a provocation. And we demand a balanced assessment of such provocative statements," Peskow asserted, addressing the UN and the ICRC. According to Moscow, approximately 150,000 civilians have been evacuated from the region due to the Ukrainian offensive. Now, authorities are ordering the evacuation of additional villages. Villages close to the Ukrainian border, within a fifteen-kilometer radius, must be evacuated for security reasons, stated Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk. This affects numerous villages, specifically those in the Rilsky and Chomutovsky districts.
The regional military headquarters has ordered the forced evacuation of these villages "based on operational information," Smirnov explained. He urged affected citizens to comprehend and adhere to the recommendations. The number of individuals affected by the evacuations remained undisclosed. Local authorities advised the affected via Telegram to gather essential items and take care of their pets.
Last week, Russia initiated a counteroffensive in the Kursk region, as per reports from both parties. Today, Moscow declared that it had regained control over two villages - Uspenovka and Borki - in the area. The President of the ICRC, Mirjana Spoljaric, arrived in Moscow for a long-planned visit. Spoljaric will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday. In the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, three Ukrainian ICRC staff were killed by Russian shelling on Thursday.
Ukraine intends that its push into the Kursk region will hinder Russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine. The Russian army has continued to progress in the region in recent weeks. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Friday that the situation on the eastern front is "extremely challenging."
The European Union, being a strong advocate for human rights, expressed concern over Russia's actions in the Kursk region and urged for respect to international law. In response to Ukraine's invitation to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to oversee humanitarian activities, the European Union called for an independent and impartial investigation into the situation.
