Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to drive Ukrainian forces out of Russian territory following a surprise incursion into several Russian villages.
As per Reuters, the incursion, which has seen Ukrainian troops take control of significant areas, was discussed in a high-level meeting Putin held with local officials and top security personnel.
According to Aleksey Smirnov, the acting head of Russia’s Kursk region, 28 settlements are now under Ukrainian control.
Ukrainian forces have advanced approximately 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) into Russian territory across a 25-mile (40-kilometer) border stretch.
Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that around 386 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) of Russian land are currently under Ukrainian control.
In response, Putin has directed Russian forces to expel the Ukrainian troops and secure the state border.
The ongoing conflict has led to mass evacuations, with 180,000 people advised to leave the affected regions, and 121,000 already evacuated.
The Russian governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has begun relocating residents from the Krasnoyaruzhsky district to safer areas, citing the increased threat from enemy activities. Approximately 11,000 residents have been moved from this district.
