Kyiv: Ukraine’s military has gained control over 28 towns and villages in Russia’s Kursk border region, triggering a significant evacuation as a result of the incursion. Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the situation during a televised meeting on Monday.
Acting regional governor Alexey Smirnov informed Putin and top Russian security officials that over 120,000 people have already fled their homes, with an additional 60,000 awaiting evacuation. Smirnov reported that Ukrainian forces have penetrated at least 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) into Russian territory, controlling a border area spanning 40 kilometers in width. However, he admitted there was “no clear understanding” of the exact positions of Ukrainian troops.
In response to Smirnov’s report, Putin urged the governor to prioritize “helping people” and to leave military assessments to the Defense Ministry. The President emphasized that the ministry’s main objective was to “drive out the enemy from our territories and, together with the Border Service, ensure reliable protection of the state border.”
Putin also acknowledged that the conflict could expand further into Russia, warning the governor of the neighboring Bryansk region that although the situation was currently calm, it might not remain that way. He stated that Ukraine would continue its attacks in an attempt to destabilize Russia’s political situation, aiming to halt Russia’s offensive in eastern Ukraine and to “improve its negotiating positions in the future.”
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This surprise cross-border attack marks the first time since World War II that a foreign military has taken control of Russian territory. In response, Russia has dispatched reinforcements to counter the Ukrainian advance.
The attack is the most significant on Russian soil since Putin launched the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, an operation originally intended to conclude swiftly but now well into its third year.
Kyiv officials have been cautious about revealing the goals of this operation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his nightly address on Saturday, mentioned that Army Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi was keeping him informed about “our actions to push the war out into the aggressor’s territory,” but provided no further details.
Matthew Savill, military sciences director at the Royal United Services Institute in London, commented on the situation, stating, “The Russians have been severely embarrassed.” However, he noted that “sustaining a force of any size in Russia, and defending against counter-attacks, will be hard, given the limited reserves available” to Ukraine.
