More than 30 people have died in southwestern Russia’s Kursk region since Ukrainian forces stormed across the border more than two weeks ago, the state-run news agency TASS reported Wednesday, citing unnamed medical personnel.
“As of the morning of Aug. 21, 31 people were confirmed dead as a result of the Ukrainian armed forces attack on the Kursk region,” the source was quoted as saying by TASS.
“Another 143 received various injuries, 79 of whom were hospitalized, including four children,” the source added.
Authorities have not confirmed the updated death toll. Acting Kursk region Governor Alexei Smirnov said last week that 12 people had been killed and 121 others had been injured since Kyiv launched its incursion.
TASS, citing medical personnel, reported Tuesday that the death toll stood at 17.
Also on Tuesday, the commander of the Akhmat special forces, Apti Alaudinov, claimed to have seen “a huge number of photos” showing gunned-down civilians. He added that “a varying number of the elderly, women and children” had not yet been evacuated from the Kursk region.
The independent investigative outlet Agentstvo said Alaudinov’s comments about civilian deaths could signal that the authorities are trying “to consolidate public opinion against Ukraine” or laying the groundwork for a potentially shocking death toll.
Around 121,000 people have been evacuated from areas of the region impacted by fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Ukrainian authorities said they would allow civilians in the Kursk region to evacuate through humanitarian corridors connecting to parts of Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said over the weekend that the goal of the offensive is to create a “buffer zone” in the Kursk region and wear down Russia’s military.
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