Russia Enforces 'Counter-Terrorism' Measures in Response to Ukrainian Incursion
Russia has declared a “counter-terrorism operation” in three border regions—Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk—following an unexpected cross-border incursion by Ukrainian forces. The new security regime grants authorities the ability to restrict movement, conduct surveillance, and enforce other emergency measures.
The Ukrainian advance into the Kursk region, now in its fifth day, has not been officially acknowledged by Kyiv. However, reports indicate that Ukrainian troops have penetrated over 10 kilometers into Russian territory, marking the deepest incursion since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. The town of Sudzha, near the border, is reportedly under threat of capture by Ukrainian forces.
Steve Rosenberg commented that this incursion highlights the challenges Russia faces in its war effort, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that Russia must experience the consequences of its actions.
On Friday, the National Counter-Terrorism Committee (Nak) announced the implementation of the counter-terrorism measures to ensure public safety and neutralize potential threats from enemy forces. The measures include entering private properties, controlling traffic and pedestrian movement, relocating civilians, and monitoring electronic communications.
Russia is grappling to counter the Ukrainian offensive, with over 76,000 people evacuated from the Kursk region, according to the state-run Tass news agency. Russian officials reported that up to 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, supported by tanks and armored vehicles, entered the Kursk region earlier this week, capturing several villages and threatening Sudzha.
A video emerged on Friday showing Ukrainian soldiers at a Gazprom gas facility near Sudzha, which BBC Verify confirmed as genuine footage from the facility’s location. However, it remains unclear if Ukrainian forces have taken full control of the town. Earlier claims by Russian military bloggers suggesting Moscow still held Sudzha are unverified.
Additional footage from Friday morning, also verified by BBC, shows a Russian military convoy destroyed and abandoned near Oktyabrskoe, roughly 38 kilometers from the border. The video depicts several damaged vehicles and soldiers, some appearing injured or dead.
In response, Russia has dispatched reinforcements, including tanks and rocket launchers, to the Kursk region. On Saturday, the Russian defense ministry reported that its troops were continuing efforts to repel the Ukrainian advance, though their claims have not been independently confirmed.
Meanwhile, the UN nuclear agency has called for restraint from both sides as the fighting nears the Kursk nuclear power plant, one of Russia’s largest. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), urged both nations to prevent a nuclear accident with potentially severe radiological consequences. The power plant is located about 60 kilometers northeast of Sudzha, making the situation increasingly precarious.
