Authorities in Russia’s Kursk region have ordered the evacuation of the Glushkovo area due to intensified military pressure from Ukrainian forces. Acting Governor Alexey Smirnov said the mandatory evacuation was decided by the regional operational headquarters.
Initially, only the settlement of Glushkovo was under evacuation orders, but this has now been extended to the entire municipal district. The Glushkovo district, bordering Ukraine, has been encircled by Ukrainian forces. On August 6, Ukraine launched a ground operation in the Kursk region, prompting mass evacuations by Russian authorities.
Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on August 13 that Ukrainian forces controlled 74 settlements in the Kursk region, including the city of Suja. Ukrainian forces have reportedly removed the Russian flag from Suja’s administrative building, and humanitarian aid has been delivered.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Public Defender Dmytro Lubinets confirmed that a “buffer zone” has been established in the Kursk region to ensure the supply of essential goods to civilians. Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk emphasized that civilians in the zone were protected under international humanitarian law, with plans for humanitarian operations and evacuation corridors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of provocation during an August 12 meeting in Moscow and dismissed the idea of negotiating with a government that “attacks the civilian population.”
Russia has consistently downplayed its actions against civilians since the war began on February 24, 2022.
