Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions have ordered evacuations near the Ukraine border as Ukrainian forces advanced into Russian territory. Over 76,000 people have been relocated to safe places in Kursk since the incursion. Nikolai Volobuyev urged residents to leave the Belovsky district as Ukrainian forces entered the area, despite Russia’s Defense Ministry claiming to repel the attempt.
In the neighboring Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov ordered evacuations in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district for public safety. Moscow initiated counterterrorism operations in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk to combat the offensive. Russian air defense systems destroyed 18 Ukrainian drones, with Kyiv yet to officially acknowledge the incursion.
Ukrainian President Zelensky hinted at the fighting, stating they are pushing the war into the aggressor’s territory. This conflict underscores the intense geopolitical tensions between the two neighboring countries.