Civilians Evacuated Amid Ongoing Attacks in Ukrainian and Russian Border Regions

In recent days, Ukrainian authorities have evacuated 535 individuals, including 143 children, from the border areas of the Sumy region, according to Ukrinform. A total of 36,800 people, including minors, were evacuated from 34 settlements both within and beyond the 5-kilometer zone along Ukraine's border with Russia. This move comes amid continued military activity, with Russian forces launching 11 attacks on border areas and settlements in Sumy, resulting in 50 explosions in the past 24 hours alone. In the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian agencies reported that 177 strikes targeted nine settlements.

On the Russian side, more than 30,400 civilians, including nearly 8,000 children, have been evacuated from areas bordering Ukraine due to shelling and attacks, according to Russian ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova, as cited by Reuters. Moskalkova stated that these evacuees have been accommodated in nearly 1,000 temporary shelters across Russia. She also mentioned reports of over 1,000 Russian citizens from Kursk who are unaccounted for, alleging they may have been abducted by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the claims, and both sides have denied targeting or holding civilians, though the ongoing conflict has led to thousands of casualties, predominantly Ukrainians.

In August, Ukraine initiated an offensive in the Russian Kursk region, which borders the Sumy area. Meanwhile, Russian investigators have placed Georgian national Alexander Inasaridze and Ukrainian national Sergey Andreychenko on the interstate wanted list. They are suspected of involvement in the October 8, 2022, bombing of the Crimean Bridge, as reported by the TASS agency.