Over 76,000 people have been evacuated from Russia's Kursk region, the local emergency ministry said.
ADVERTISEMENTRussia evacuates 76,000 people from its border region of Kursk as Ukrainian troops advance into its territory in the largest incursion on Russian soil since the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russia's Ministry of Defence released footage on Saturday showing what it claims to be tanks, troops and artillery systems deployed to the country's western region of Kursk in a bid to fight off Ukrainian armed forces that stormed the area early this week.
The Kremlin released other footage claimed to show helicopters, fighter jets and drones striking targets in forested areas.
Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with government officials to discuss the looming situation in Kursk, where a swift and bruising Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region on Tuesday exposed the Kremlin's vulnerabilities.
“Good day, dear colleagues, on today’s agenda for the operational meeting with the permanent members of the security council is a very important question regarding specific aspects of the fight against terrorism,” he said at the Moscow meeting.
Shortly after the meeting, the three regions bordering Ukraine — Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk — declared they would carry out counter-terrorist operations. Russia also declared a federal emergency over the attack.
Kyiv troops poured into the Kursk region from several directions early on Tuesday, quickly overwhelming a few checkpoints and field fortifications manned by lightly armed border guards.
The surprise foray prompted thousands of civilians to flee both sides of the border as the Russian military struggles to repel the attack.
Ukrainian soldiers released footage on Friday claiming to show troops embedded and controlling numerous Russian towns, such as Sudzha.
On the clip, the Ukrainian troops say the town of Sudzha is calm, the houses are intact, and strategic facilities are controlled by Kyiv armed forces.
For Ukraine, the cross-border raid offers a much-needed boost to public morale at a time when the country’s undermanned and under-gunned forces have faced relentless Russian attacks along the more than 1,000 kilometre frontline.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet commented on the offensive.