The Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, has been put into a state of emergency after Ukrainian troops crossed the border on Tuesday, taking towns and Russian soldiers hostage

Russia has been plunged into a state of high alert following a bold incursion of Ukrainian, despite initial claims from Moscow officials that the attack had been thwarted. The Kursk region, sharing its borders with Ukraine, was rocked by an incursion on Tuesday.

Governor Alexei Smirnov took to Telegram to condemn what he called “attempted border breakthroughs” in two districts. He later alleged that Ukrainian forces had launched attacks on Russian border units stationed in the settlements of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya.

A video that emerged on social media on Tuesday also showed troops involved in the incursion capturing Russian soldiers amid the conflict. Other videos from Russian bloggers showed lines of vehicles destroyed by Ukrainian forces. Though there has been no official confirmation of the military operation, President Zelensky alluded to the incursion in a Thursday address, saying: “Russia brought the war to our land and should feel what it has done.” By Wednesday, as Russia’s Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported an assault by approximately 1,000 Ukrainian troops on the town of Sudzha, Mr Smirnov announced a state of emergency, reports the Express.

His statement was clear: “To eliminate the consequences of enemy forces coming into the region, I took the decision to introduce a state of emergency in the Kursk region from August 7.” Russian President Vladimir Putin labelled the incursion a “major provocation”. This assault on the Sudzha area poses a significant threat to the Kremlin, given that the town is not only a gas hub but also the final major transit point for Russian pipelines entering Europe.

Ukraine has not formally accepted responsibility for an intrusion, although some officials have hinted involvement.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, without directly referencing the Kursk events, remarked on Wednesday: “The more pressure we put on Russia… the closer we will get to peace. A just peace through just force.” Then, in the wee hours of August 8, he continued with a bold statement: “Kursk region. Day three. Everything is according to plan. For the first time since World War II, a foreign army is conducting a combined arms operation on the territory of Russia and taking control of settlements.”

Despite Mr. Smirnov declaring a state of emergency, it seems the efforts haven’t halted the incursion – which Mr. Gerasimov insisted was already “stopped” as of Wednesday.

Although Sudzha town lies about eight kilometres inside the Kursk region, there were reports by Thursday that Ukrainian troops may have been sighted as far into Russian territory as Ivnitsa village, some 24 kilometres beyond the border.

Read More Here