Kursk Region Under Emergency as Ukrainian Forces Advance
A state of emergency has been declared in Russia‘s Kursk region as the Russian army struggles to control the situation in the region bordering Ukraine for a third day.
This marks the most serious Ukrainian military incursion into Russian territory since the war began. Independent analysts report Ukrainian forces have already advanced approximately 10 kilometers into Russian territory. Moscow has responded by claiming it is destroying Ukrainian units until Kiev accepts responsibility for the Ukrainian infiltration.
The Russian military continues its attempt to repel the offensive using airstrikes, missiles, and artillery. Around 1,000 pro-Ukrainian fighters, supported by over 20 armored vehicles and tanks, stormed the southwestern region on Tuesday morning. Reservists were mobilized to counter the attack. According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War, pro-Ukrainian forces have already breached two Russian defense lines.
Adviser to the Ukrainian president, Mykhailo Podoliak, accused Moscow of starting a war that is expanding throughout Russia. “The Russians are terrified. They are reacting not out of strength but out of fear,” he stated.
The offensive centers around the logistics hub of Suja, a city that serves as a crucial point for Russia’s natural gas exports to Europe. The sudden Ukrainian advance has surprised the Russian military leadership and drawn criticism from influential military bloggers. Telegram channels report that Suja is now under Ukrainian control, with pro-Ukrainian forces establishing trenches, suggesting a long-term operation. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev suggested expanding the conflict to other Ukrainian cities, claiming the operation is an attempt to divert resources from the Ukrainian front.
Thousands of people have been evacuated from both sides of the Russian-Ukrainian border.