Russia's Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday that it continues to engage Ukrainian troops that crossed into the border region of Kursk a day earlier. The ministry announced on social media that "the operation for the destruction of Ukrainian army units is continuing," adding that "the enemy's movement further into Russian territory has been prevented."

The incursion has led to significant disruptions in the region. Kursk's acting governor, Alexei Smirnov, stated that several thousand people have been evacuated from the border area. He commended the local population for "heroically resisting attacks" and urged residents to donate blood to aid the injured.

The Russian government claims that up to 300 Ukrainian soldiers, supported by tanks, launched an assault on Russian border forces in the Kursk settlements of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya, located just across the Ukrainian border region of Sumy. These forces reportedly advanced to the Russian town of Sudzha, which is strategically important as it hosts the last operational trans-shipment point for Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine. The Kursk nuclear power plant, a critical infrastructure facility, is approximately 60 kilometers (40 miles) away from the conflict zone.

Russian authorities have reported at least five fatalities and 24 injuries as a result of the clashes. On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry stated that "border defense troops, together with military units of the FSB border force," were actively "repelling attacks and inflicting fire damage on the enemy."

While Ukraine has not explicitly confirmed the offensive in the Kursk region, its general staff has mentioned Russian attacks on border villages in Ukraine.

Fighting around Russia's border regions has become increasingly frequent since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Several incursions into Russian territory have occurred, often involving groups like the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, which consist of Russian nationals opposed to the Kremlin.

In May 2023, the Ukrainian-based Freedom of Russia Legion conducted raids into the Belgorod region of Russia, supported by the Russian Volunteer Corps. In March 2023, the Russian Volunteer Corps claimed responsibility for a raid in the Russian border region of Bryansk.

The recent incursion in Kursk is part of a broader pattern of heightened cross-border tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The situation remains volatile, with both sides engaging in military operations that extend beyond the immediate war zones within Ukraine.