Russia has imposed a “counter-terrorism operation” regime in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions in response to a surprise cross-border incursion by Ukrainian troops. This move grants authorities the power to restrict movement, tap phones, and take other security measures in these border regions. The incursion, now in its fifth day, has seen Ukrainian forces advancing more than 10 kilometers (six miles) into Russian territory—the deepest penetration since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Kyiv has not officially acknowledged the operation.
Reports indicate that Ukrainian troops are threatening to seize a regional town as part of their offensive into the Kursk region. On Friday, the National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NAK) announced the new security measures, stating that they were implemented “to ensure the safety of citizens and suppress the threat of terrorist acts by enemy sabotage and reconnaissance units.” The authorities in the affected regions now have broad powers, including the ability to enter private homes, control traffic and pedestrian movement, order the temporary relocation of residents, and monitor electronic communications.
The Ukrainian offensive has posed a significant challenge for Moscow. Russia reported that up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, supported by tanks and armoured vehicles, entered the Kursk region on Tuesday. Since then, Ukrainian forces have reportedly seized several villages and are threatening the town of Sudzha. A video emerged on Friday showing armed Ukrainian soldiers claiming control over Sudzha and a key Russian gas facility owned by Gazprom. The footage was indeed from the Gazprom facility on the outskirts of Sudzha, approximately 7 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, but the video alone does not confirm that Ukrainian troops have taken the entire town. Russian military bloggers had earlier claimed that Sudzha remained under Moscow’s control.
In addition to the situation in Sudzha another video posted online on Friday morning. This footage showed a 15-vehicle Russian convoy that had been damaged, burned, and abandoned on a road in the town of Oktyabrskoe, about 38 kilometres from the border on the Russian side. The video also depicted Russian soldiers, some of whom appeared to be injured or possibly dead.
In response to the Ukrainian offensive, Moscow has sent reinforcements, including tanks and rocket-launching systems, to the Kursk region. The Russian defence ministry reported on Saturday morning that its troops were “continuing to repel the attempted invasion” by Ukrainian forces, claiming that Ukraine’s efforts to “break through deep into Russian territory” had been thwarted. These claims have not been independently verified.
Amidst the escalating conflict, the UN nuclear agency on Friday urged both Russia and Ukraine to “exercise maximum restraint” as the fighting neared the Kursk nuclear power plant, one of Russia’s largest. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned that measures must be taken “to avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences.” The power plant is located about 60 kilometres northeast of Sudzha.
