Kursk conflict escalation: Russian blogger urges mass evacuation

A popular Russian military blogger has appealed to Russians living in Kursk Oblast. He advised them to evacuate their homes immediately without looking back at their property. He warned that the planned counteroffensive is intended to wipe out settlements where Ukrainian forces are present.

"Countrymen, I ask you to decide to evacuate today. (...) Everyone must understand the most important thing: if a settlement in Kursk Oblast is under enemy control, it no longer exists. It just doesn't exist. During the counteroffensive, it is likely to be wiped off the face of the earth," Roman Alekhin, a Russian military blogger whose posts are subscribed to by 188,000 readers on Telegram, appealed.

He noted that the Russian army had to recapture the territory "with the civilian population in mind, affecting their efficiency." "Anyone who becomes attached to their property must understand that they will lose it, and most likely, the war will eventually take their life!" he warns.

The post indicates that the Russian army is preparing a brutal response to the Ukrainian success of capturing 1,260 square kilometres of Russian territory. "Russians are threatening to turn Russia into ruins," commented Anton Gerashchenko, former advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

- A brutal response cannot be ruled out because such action suits the Russian army. After all, we have seen the rubble of cities: Bakhmut or Lysychansk, which were steamrolled by artillery. It is possible that the local Russian authorities pressured the evacuation of 200,000 people from border areas to ensure the army's freedom - comments Prof. Krzysztof Żęgota.

- The occupation of Russian territory is an insult to Putin and a personal failure. He adds that the Russians have already felt that the war has come to them.

Recently, we described that the media statements of residents of Kursk Oblast, taken under Ukrainian occupation, are a source of political trouble for the Kremlin. The Russians praised humanitarian aid provided by the Ukrainian military and, contrary to Russian propaganda, said they were well treated. Moreover, they called for an end to the war.

Prof. Żęgota suggests that the Russians have not yet been able to deal with the Ukrainian action. Still, the Kursk operation did not meet its military objective, which was understood as forcing Russia to direct a significant number of troops to this region. It was supposed to ease the front in Donbas. Meanwhile, the experts assess that the Russians are pushing forward and probably heading towards a battle for the city of Pokrovsk.

Meanwhile, in Russia, President Vladimir Putin met with the head of the army, General Valery Gerasimov. The Kremlin stated that they discussed combating "hostile invading forces on Kursk Oblast" and taking measures to destroy them.

The independent Russian service The Moscow Times comments the language of the communications after the meeting departs from earlier formulations, in which Ukraine's surprising move was downplayed. After the meeting, the Kursk operation has shaken Moscow.

Over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a video showing him standing in a hilly, wooded area said to be near the place where Ukraine launched an offensive on Kursk on August 6.

- "Whatever the enemy was bringing to our land has now returned to their home," Zelensky said in the video, adding that Russia "will learn what retaliation means." The Ukrainian President added that one of the aims of the Kursk operation in Kyiv was to show the Russians that "for the hate-driven Putin, the occupation of Ukraine is more important than protecting his own people."

On Monday morning, Russia carried out one of its largest air attacks so far using 100 missiles and drones. Russian social media boasted videos showing hundreds of civilians sheltering from the attack in the subway in Kyiv.