Russian authorities announced on Friday that they will begin evacuating and blockading five villages near the Ukraine border from Monday.
The decision concerns villages within the Belgorod region, neighbouring Kursk, the area where the Ukrainian military is currently conducting an offensive.
“Access to five villages will be blocked from 19 August while we assist residents in evacuating and relocating their properties,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. Temporary restrictions are also set to be implemented in a sixth village.
Earlier this week, villages in another district of Belgorod, with a reported population of 14,000 individuals. were also evacuated.
Ukraine launched an offensive on Russia’s Kursk region on 6 August. According to the Ukrainian military commander, Oleksandr Syrsky, their troops have successfully advanced “one to three kilometres” in given sectors.
The fighting in the Russian border region is ongoing.
