Ukraine-Russia war: Russia evacuates residents from border villages in Kursk region

Russia is evacuating residents from multiple villages in the Kursk region near the border with Ukraine in a bid to stop Kyiv’s incursion.

Russia has ordered the evacuation of villages close to the Ukrainian border in the Kursk region, the local governor said, as Moscow ramped up efforts to regain control of land seized in Kyiv’s incursion.

The reason for the border evacuations was unclear, but came days after Moscow began what appeared to be a major counter-offensive aimed at driving Ukraine out of the border territory.

Authorities have decided to order the “obligatory evacuation of settlements in the Rylsky and Khomutovsky districts that are within a 15-kilometre zone adjacent to the border with Ukraine,” Kursk region governor Alexei Smirnov said on Telegram.

War-displaced people spend time in a centre for displaced people in undisclosed location in Kursk region. Picture: AFP

The city of Kursk is under 50km from where Ukraine is mounting a major cross-border assault on Russian territory. Moscow is ordering evacuations. Picture: AFP

There are dozens of villages and towns within this 15-kilometre radius. The regional administration urged those fleeing to take their belongings with them and “take care of pets” amid reports residents in previous evacuations had left their animals behind.

More than 150,000 people in the region have fled their homes since Ukraine launched its offensive on August 6, advancing across Russian territory and seizing dozens of settlements.

A Ukrainian military vehicle driving past a destroyed border crossing with Russia. Kyiv launched a surprise offensive into the Russian border region of Kursk and Moscow is trying to take back the land. Picture: AFP

The attack, which began more than two years after Russia launched a full-scale military assault on Ukraine, caught the Kremlin off-guard and was only halted after Moscow scrambled reinforcements to the area.

The Russian army said it had taken back the “settlements of Uspenovka and Borki” during counter-offensive operations, four days after announcing it had regained ten other villages.

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UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “bluster” over his warning that letting Ukraine use long-range weapons to strike inside Russia would put NATO “at war” with Moscow.

Tensions between Russia and the West over the conflict have reached dire levels as US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met at the White House to discuss whether to ease rules on Kyiv’s use of western-supplied weaponry.

“I think that what Putin’s doing is throwing dust up into the air,” Lammy told the BBC.

“There’s a lot of bluster. That’s his modus operandi. He threatens about tanks, he threatens about missiles, he threatens about nuclear weapons.”

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy appearing on the BBC has said that Vladimir Putin’s threat of war is “bluster.” Picture: Picture: BBC / AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been asking for permission to use British Storm Shadow missiles and US-made ATACMS missiles to hit targets deeper inside Russia for months.

Biden and Starmer delayed a decision on the move during their meeting. It came after Putin warned that green-lighting use of the weapons “would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia”.

“If that’s the case, then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face,” he added.

The Russian leader has long warned western countries that they risk provoking a nuclear war over their support for Ukraine.

“We cannot be blown off course by an imperialist fascist, effectively, that wants to move into countries willy nilly,” said Lammy.

“If we let him with Ukraine, believe me, he will not stop there.”

Lammy said that talks between Starmer, Biden and Zelensky over the use of the missiles would continue at the United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York later this month.

US President Joe Biden (L) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) participate in a bilateral meeting in the Blue Room of the White House. Picture: SAUL LOEB / AFP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden met in Washington to discuss geopolitical threats, including a major shake-up to the war in Ukraine.

“They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend against Russia’s aggression,” the White House stated in a readout issued after the meeting.

They expressed deep concern about Iran and North Korea’s provision of lethal weapons to Russia and the People’s Republic of China’s support to Russia’s defence industrial base.

Absent from the commentary, however, were specific details about whether or not Ukraine could fire long-range missiles into Russian territory as it advances.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and US President Joe Biden. Picture: Getty Images via AFP

Sir Keir gave no indication on whether the UK and its top ally would allow these weapons to be deployed against Russian targets, telling reporters on his way out that it was up to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of being “afraid” to even help Ukraine shoot down incoming missiles as it has done with Israel.

British and US media reported that a wary Biden was ready to let Ukraine deploy British Storm Shadow missiles and similar French munitions using US technology – but not US-made ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) themselves.

Sir Keir pauses to speak to reporters after the meeting. Picture: SAUL LOEB / AFP

RUSSIA THREATENS WAR WITH US AND UK

Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow would be “at war” with the United States and the United Kingdom if they allowed Ukraine to use long-range weapons to strike targets in Russia.

The chilling threat comes as top NATO diplomats discussed lifting restrictions on Ukraine firing Western weapons – like the UK’s Storm Shadow missiles – deep into Russian territory.

Kyiv has been pressing for permission to strike Russia directly as it buckles under the strain of two and a half years of war.

“This would in a significant way change the very nature of the conflict,” Putin told a state television reporter.

Vladimir Putin warns of war against the US and UK over use of NATO weapons to strike Russia. Picture: AFP

“It would mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries, are at war with Russia,” he added.

“If that’s the case, then taking into account the change of nature of the conflict, we will take the appropriate decisions based on the threats that we will face.”

Clearing Kyiv to strike deep into Russia “is a decision on whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not”, he added.

Putin’s comments came as Kyiv pressed the West to provide more powerful weapons with fewer restrictions, as Russia continues its advance into eastern Ukraine.

Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warned separately that letting Ukraine use long-range weapons would plunge NATO into “direct war with … a nuclear power.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s message was unambiguous.

“We have no doubt that this statement has reached its recipients.”

US, UK MAY APPROVE STRIKES ON RUSSIA

The United States and Britain have promised US$1.5 billion (A$2.2bn) in new aid ahead of a potentially difficult winter.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his new British counterpart, David Lammy, showed solidarity with a rare joint visit to Kyiv, which they reached after taking a nine-hour train ride together from Poland.

The trip came amid growing concern over the situation on the battlefield and the uncertain future of Washington’s stance on the war.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (C), shakes hands with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (R) as UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy (L) in Kyiv, Ukraine. Picture: Getty Images

Russia’s alleged acquisition of new short-range Iranian missiles threatens to ramp up Moscow’s firepower, while November’s US presidential election could result in a dramatic shift by Ukraine’s top backer.

Blinken said the United States would offer US$717 million in fresh economic aid to Ukraine — half of it to support an electricity infrastructure that has been battered by Russian strikes as winter approaches.

Blinken accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dusting off “his winter playbook” to “weaponise the cold against the Ukrainian people”.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (C) and US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink (R) walk on the quay as he prepares to depart the train station in Kyiv. Picture: AFP

“Our support will not wane, our unity will not break,” Blinken told reporters in Kyiv.

“Putin will not outlast the coalition of countries committed to Ukraine’s success, and he is certainly not going to outlast the Ukrainian people.”
Lammy reiterated his Labour government’s pledge to provide £600 million ($US782 million) in economic assistance to Ukraine.

Britain will also provide hundreds of new air-defence missiles to Ukraine this year, he added.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted online that he had “very substantive” talks with Blinken and Lammy, thanking both countries for their support.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy (L) and US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken arrive at Kyiv train station. Picture: Getty Images

Blinken added, “we have adjusted and adapted as needs changed, as the battlefield has changed, and I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that.”

– with AFP