Ukrainian tanks advance in Russia

Thousands of Russians Flee as Ukrainian Forces Push Deeper into Russian Territory

In an unprecedented move, thousands of residents from Russia’s Kursk region were forced to flee on Thursday as Ukrainian tanks advanced further into Russian territory. This marks the third day of Ukraine’s most daring offensive against Russian forces since the conflict began over two years ago.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the Ukrainian assault, labeling it a “major provocation.” Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and a close advisor to Putin, downplayed the attack, suggesting it was a Ukrainian attempt to strain Russia’s military resources and to persuade the U.S. and its Western allies to increase their military support.

Medvedev went further, advocating for an expansion of Russia’s military objectives to include the complete takeover of Ukraine. “It’s essential to learn a serious lesson from these events,” Medvedev shared on social media, emphasizing the need to “ruthlessly defeat and annihilate the enemy.”

Russian officials reported that on Tuesday, around 1,000 Ukrainian troops, backed by tanks, armored vehicles, and relentless artillery fire, breached the Russian border. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), analyzing aerial images, confirmed that Ukrainian forces had advanced over six miles into Russian territory. Notably, Ukraine’s military has remained silent on the details of this offensive.

The ISW suggested that the Kremlin’s response to this invasion might be an attempt to tarnish Ukraine’s international reputation while downplaying the operation’s scale to avoid triggering widespread domestic panic.