Russia accuses Ukraine of capturing 1,000 residents as Zelenskiy claims his troops “holding line” in Kursk
- 14 October, 10:20
Ukrainian troops have forcibly captured over 1,000 residents of Russia’s border Kursk region since launching surprise incursion into the region in early August, Russian presidential human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova said on Monday.
“I’ve received messages regarding more than 1,000 such people from relatives trying to find them. We know nothing about their fate,” Moskalkova told the Argumenty i Fakty pro-Kremlin newspaper. The commissioner said this was gross violation of their rights and international norms of treatment of civilians.
Mosalkova said 112,000 residents have been displaced from their homes in the Kursk region, adding that 12,300 of those have been relocated to temporary shelters. She stressed that “it’s impossible to answer for now” when they can return. Ukraine has not responded to Russia’s accusation of forceful capture of Kursk residents yet.
Ukraine captured swathes of Russia’s Kursk region since launching massive cross-border attack on August 6. Videos have emerged of Russian soldiers being taken hostage by Ukrainian troops en masse.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his troops were “holding the line” in the Kursk region against the Russian forces’ counteroffensive.
"Regarding the Kursk operation, there were attempts by Russia to push back our positions, but we are holding the lines," Zelenskiy said. His comments come amid reports that Russian forces recaptured two villages in Kursk region and forced Ukrainian forces out of the region.
