The United Nations Human Rights Office said Thursday that it has asked authorities in Moscow to allow its representatives to visit Russian regions impacted by cross-border attacks from Ukrainian forces.
"I can confirm that the UN Human Rights Office has sent a request to the Russian authorities," Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email sent to AFP.
According to Throssel, the UN is seeking to conduct a human rights monitoring mission in the Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions. The request was sent on Wednesday, she said.
The office has previously asked Moscow on several occasions for access to both Russian territory and Ukrainian territories under occupation, but to no avail, Throssel added.
The Ukrainian army stormed into the Kursk region last week Tuesday and has since captured dozens of towns and cities. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said Kyiv intends to create a "buffer zone" in the region to prevent Russian cross-border strikes.
Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said Thursday that Kyiv now controls around 1,150 square kilometers (444 square miles) of territory in the Kursk region.
The offensive has forced thousands to flee border areas, including in the neighboring Belgorod region, which declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.
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