Emergency Declared in Russia’s Kursk Region Amid Alleged Ukrainian Incursion

Putin Accuses Ukraine of “Large-Scale Provocation” as Battle Continues Near Key Border Town

Russia has declared a state of emergency in Kursk region following an alleged incursion by Ukrainian troops.

President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of carrying out a “large-scale provocation” as Russian forces continue to combat the offensive.

The conflict erupted on Tuesday morning when a Ukrainian unit of up to 1,000 soldiers reportedly crossed into the Kursk region. According to Kursk’s acting Governor Alexei Smirnov, the emergency declaration was necessary “to eliminate the consequences of enemy forces coming into the region.”

Security has been heightened around a nearby nuclear power plant, and several thousand residents have been evacuated. In a video conference, Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov confirmed the ongoing battle and stated that Ukrainian troops had been prevented from advancing further into Russian territory.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that operations to destroy the Ukrainian units are ongoing. Governor Smirnov has called on local residents to donate blood, praising the region’s resistance against the attacks over the past 24 hours.

Ukrainian forces, supported by tanks and armored vehicles, launched assaults on the settlements of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya, close to Ukraine’s Sumy region. The fighting has resulted in at least five deaths and 24 injuries, according to Russian authorities.

Reports indicate that the Ukrainian troops advanced as far as the town of Sudzha, the last operational trans-shipment point for Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine.