Russia forms volunteer unit to counter Ukrainian offensive in Kursk

Russians are creating a new unit. It will be composed of volunteers who will cooperate closely with the military. It will also have a particular task in the areas attacked by Ukrainians.

Many reports provided by Russian media or government representatives are propaganda. They are part of the Russian Federation's information war.

The authorities of the Kursk region announced the creation of a volunteer unit, "Bars - Kursk," whose task is to "maintain law and order" in the area.

"Volunteers who signed the contract will undergo training and receive the necessary weapons. They will cooperate closely with the military, ensuring effective coordination and protection of civilian infrastructure," wrote Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov.

The volunteers will undergo military training and be deployed to eight regions where evacuation has been announced due to the Ukrainian offensive.

For the past three weeks, Russia has not been able to repel the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region in the southwest of the country. Still, Putin does not consider it a priority and does not want to transfer troops there from eastern Donbas, writes the Associated Press on Thursday, citing experts.

Russia lacks units in the Kursk region to deal with the Ukrainian offensive. Still, the agency also takes surprisingly modest steps to end the first occupation of its territories since World War II.

Nigel Gould-Davies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) assesses, "In marshaling forces to meet Ukraine's incursion, Russia is doing all it can to avoid drawing units from its own offensive in the Donbas. Russia currently judges that it can contain the threat on its own soil without compromising its most important goal in Ukraine".