76,000 Evacuated as Ukrainian Troops Push into Russia's Kursk Region

Over 76,000 people have been evacuated from areas bordering Ukraine in Russia's Kursk region, according to the local Emergencies Ministry, as reported by Reuters and TASS. This mass evacuation follows the Ukrainian invasion of the region, which began earlier this week.

Russia is currently engaged in intense battles against thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who have advanced up to 20 kilometers into the Kursk region. Reuters describes this as the largest Ukrainian attack on Russian sovereign territory since the war began in 2022.

❗The Massive evacuation of residents from Glushkiv, Rila and Koreniv districts has been announced.#Kursk #Events pic.twitter.com/pDej3qwpFB

— Азов South (@Azovsouth) August 9, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the Ukrainian offensive a major provocation. Although top Russian General Valery Gerasimov announced on Wednesday that the invasion had been halted, Russian forces have not yet succeeded in pushing the Ukrainian military (AFU) back across the border.

Russian military bloggers report that the situation has stabilized after Russia deployed additional forces to counter the surprise offensive. A video verified by Reuters shows a convoy of burnt-out Russian military trucks on a highway in the Kursk region, with around 15 vehicles visible, including one marked with the Z symbol, which Moscow uses for its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Russian convoy destroyed in Oktyabrskoe, Kursk Oblast, last night and this morning - multiple trucks and personnel were eliminated. pic.twitter.com/Yis7MKLqEZ

— English Luhansk (@loogunda) August 9, 2024

Meanwhile, Belarus is amassing troops along the border with Ukraine in the tactical areas...