Operation in Kursk Region: Russia Evacuated Over 76 Thousand People.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that over 76 thousand people were evacuated from the Kursk region. Currently, about 4.3 thousand people are in 60 temporary accommodation points. Igor Kutsak, the mayor of Kursk, also reported that local administrations received more than 16 thousand applications from people who left settlements near the border. The population of the Kursk region is over a million people according to Rosstat.

According to journalists, Russian security forces blocked access to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant on Friday afternoon, preparing for defense due to the approaching Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense also allocated additional military equipment to destroy Ukrainian units. Russian President Vladimir Putin held an operational meeting with permanent members of the Security Council regarding the situation in the Kursk region.

Analysts believe that Russia declared a counter-terrorism operation to mitigate the effects of the Ukrainian invasion in the Kursk region. The aim of this decision is to prevent panic and reduce negative reactions. It is noted that Russian soldiers have already approached the town of Sudzha in the Kursk region.