Russia’s military said Monday it reclaimed control of two villages in the western region of Kursk, as part of an offensive to push back an incursion by Ukrainian troops that began in early August.
Russia said it retook Uspenovka and Borki, days after saying it took back control of 10 other villages. The situation in the area is difficult to independently verify.
Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov announced Monday the evacuation of villages in the Rylsky and Khomutovsky districts, which are located about 40 kilometers north of Uspenovka. The announcement, on Telegram, gave few specifics about the reason for the order other than saying it was to ensure security.
Also Monday, Ukraine called on the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to send teams to areas of Kursk under Ukrainian control to evaluate the situation there.
Russia quickly responded by calling Ukraine’s action a “provocation.”
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said later in New York that the U.N. is “ready to do it,” but that it would need authorization from Russia to make such a visit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered his military to expand its number of troops by 180,000, bringing the total to 1.5 million. Putin last called for a troop increase last December.
Ukrainian officials reported Monday on the latest extensive Russian drone attack targeting Kyiv, saying the assault was the eighth against Ukraine’s capital this month.
Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram that Ukrainian air defenses shot down nearly two dozen drones over Kyiv, but that there were no reports of damage or casualties.
Across the country, Ukraine’s military said Monday it shot down 53 of 56 Russian drones that attacked multiple regions.
In addition to Kyiv, intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, the Ukrainian air force said.
The aerial attacks came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on allies to provide weapons systems and permission to use weapons in long-range strikes against targets inside Russia.
Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Sunday that allowing long-range strikes would enable Ukraine’s military to “destroy Russian aircraft at their bases.”
He said Ukraine expects decisions on the matter from the United States, France, Germany and Italy.
Ukraine’s military carried out its latest attacks Monday on regions along the Russia Ukraine border.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod, said Ukrainian shelling hit a house and several cars, injuring at least eight people.
In Bryansk, officials said Russian air defenses shot down five Ukrainian drones. No casualties or damage were reported.
Some information for this story was provided by Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
