Russian authorities announced tonight that they will evacuate five villages and block access to them as they are very close to the border with Ukraine, in the Belgorod region, which borders Kursk, where the Ukrainian army has invaded.
“Starting August 19, we will block access to five communities, evacuate residents and help move their belongings,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said via Telegram.
Access to a sixth village will be banned “temporarily”, the governor added.
The Ukrainians destroyed an escape bridge
Ukrainian forces destroyed a bridge over the Shem River in Russia’s Kursk region, preventing the evacuation of people by land, Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported, citing local security services.
💥 Kursk Offensive: Ukrainian forces destroyed a key bridge over the Seim River in Glushkovo. This essentially cuts off Russian reinforcements from a huge area in Kursk region. pic.twitter.com/NAkClz2qya
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) August 16, 2024
The Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a bridge in the village of Zvannoye, Glushkovsky District, Kursk Region. It looks more powerful than Haimers. Not sure. pic.twitter.com/6xh49ihel5
— East West Group 🇮🇩🇧🇦🇹🇷🇩🇪🇵🇸 (@MoneyMasterGuru) August 17, 2024
A mass evacuation is underway in the Glushkov region, home to 20,000 people, following the rapid Ukrainian invasion of the Russian region.
Ukraine: Fighting in Kursk focused on Malaya Lokna, says Ukrainian army chief
Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Shirsky claimed today that Kiev forces had advanced by one to three kilometers in some areas of Russia’s Kursk region.
Ukraine says it controls 82 settlements in an area of 1,150 square kilometers after the attack it launched on August 6.
Briefing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Sirsky said fighting was taking place in the region of Malaya Loknia, about 11.5 km from the Ukrainian border.
“In general, the situation is under control, everything is going according to plan,” Sirsky said in a video posted by Zelensky on Telegram. He added that he hoped the battle near Malaya Loknia would allow the Kiev army to capture “a lot of prisoners”.
Ukrainian officials say hundreds of Russian soldiers have been captured in the past 10 days and hope that their exchange with Ukrainians held by Russian authorities will speed up.
Sirsky also noted that heavy fighting continues on Ukraine’s eastern front, particularly in Toretsk and the Pokrovsk region.
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