Russian authorities have declared a national emergency in the Belgorod region, which borders Kursk, according to the Ministry of Emergencies.
The head of the ministry, Alexander Kurenkov, said on Thursday: “The situation in the region remains complex and tense. As a result of terrorist attacks by Ukrainian armed groups in the Belgorod region, residential buildings and infrastructure facilities have been damaged, there are dead and injured citizens.”
It comes as Russia began evacuating thousands of people from border regions as Ukraine advances deeper into enemy territory amid the ongoing cross-border incursion in Kursk.
Kursk authorities have ordered the population of its Glushkov district to evacuate, 20,000 people, according to Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov, on August 16.
Moscow has claimed that nearly 200,000 people were evacuated after the attack.
The surprise offensive is the largest attack on Russian soil since the outbreak of World War II.
Adam Rutland, co-founder at the Center for Information Resilience (CIR), said Newsweek: “There is no doubt that evacuated Russian civilians will raise questions about their government. At home, there is also no doubt that news of success on the battlefield will boost morale.
“This intrusion isn’t really about Ukraine’s negotiating position: it’s about changing the dynamic on the ground, showing its international backers that their red lines are futile, and raising morale at home — and maybe asking some uncomfortable questions in Russia.”
This is news and will be updated.