Russia Evacuates Tens of Thousands Amid Ukraine Incursion
August 10th, 2024Via: AFP:
Struggling to put down a major Ukrainian incursion for a fifth day, Russia on Saturday said it had evacuated tens of thousands of people from its border region, launched a “counter-terror operation” and warned that the fighting was endangering a nuclear power plant.
Ukrainian units stormed into Russia’s western Kursk region on Tuesday morning in a shock attack, the largest and most successful cross-border offensive by Kyiv of the two-and-a-half year conflict.
Its troops have advanced several kilometres and Russia’s army has rushed in reserves and extra equipment — though neither side has given precise details on the forces they have committed.
Kyiv has maintained a strict operational silence on the offensive and is yet publicly to confirm it is even behind the attack.
Russia’s nuclear agency on Saturday warned of a “direct threat” to the nearby Kursk nuclear power station, and local officials detailed the scale of civilian evacuations from towns and villages close to the combat zone.
“More than 76,000 people have been temporarily relocated to safe places,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted an official from the regional emergency situations ministry as saying at a press briefing on Saturday.
More:
Russia Racing Troops To Kursk In Hopes Of Booting Ukraine’s Invasion Forces
Russia Fighting Intense Battles Against Major Ukrainian Incursion
Russia Firing Iskander Hypersonic Missiles On Its Own Territory
