Nearly 4,000 evacuated from Sumy Oblast amid Ukraine's Kursk offensive
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Over the past week, 3,800 people have been evacuated from frontline regions in Sumy Oblast, local governor Volodymyr Artyukh reported on national TV on Aug. 12.
"About 3,800 people have been evacuated, including 175 children as part of evacuation from 23 communities announced on Aug. 6," said Artyukh.
Governor noted that since July last year, 19,800 residents, including about 2,500 children, have been evacuated from 115 settlements in Sumy Oblast.
Interior Ministry's press service on Aug. 9 reported that about 20,000 people were to be evacuated to safe places from Sumy Oblast.
Kursk Oblast raid
On Aug. 6, Russian propagandists claimed that Ukrainian forces had allegedly penetrated the Sudzha district of Kursk Oblast.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed fighting in the region. Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed that Ukraine had supposedly entered with about 1,000 troops, using Western Stryker armored vehicles and tanks, as well as UAVs, air defense systems, and electronic warfare means.
Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on these events.
Russian local news outlets on Aug. 8 claimed that the fighting in Kursk Oblast was seen approximately 26 kilometers from the border. The Washington Post, citing “a presidential advisor to Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” reported that Ukraine had allegedly taken control of the Sudzha gas measurement station in Kursk Oblast.
Kurschatov Mayor Ihor Korpunkov on Aug. 9 stated that the fighting was taking place several dozen kilometers from the city, where the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is located.
In response to these events, Russia introduced a so-called “counter-terrorism operation” regime in Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod Oblasts. This includes monitoring telephone conversations and other information.
Politico reported that Germany and other Ukrainian allies had previously been reluctant to allow Kyiv to attack Russia, but recent events in Kursk Oblast may change this approach.
Video was posted online showing more than ten pieces of burnt-out Russian military equipment, mostly trucks, as well as the bodies of soldiers on Aug. 9. Later, the Russian department of the BBC Verify service confirmed that the video of the defeated column of Russian equipment was filmed near the village of Oktyabrskoye, near Rylsk, Kursk Oblast.
Yuriy Butusov, editor-in-chief of Censor.net on Aug. 10 said with reference to the Khorne Group unit of the 116th Separate Mechanized Brigade that 490 "downed Tango's" were counted in the broken column.
Acting governor of Kursk region, Aleksey Smirnov on Aug. 11 said that a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group had allegedly entered the territory of Bilovsk district, which borders Sumy region. According to the BBC, Ukrainian troops may have advanced 30 kilometers into Russia.
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