KURSK, August 9. /TASS/. The town of Sudzha in the Kursk Region is not under the control of Ukrainian forces contrary to rumors in a number of Telegram channels, the town's mayor Vitaly Slashchev has told TASS.
"Evacuation is underway. Sudzha is ours. This comment says it all," Slashchev said when asked about the authenticity of photos of Ukrainian soldiers allegedly in front of a store and an organization in Sudzha.
Earlier, the head of the Sudzha district, Alexander Bogachev, told TASS that the evacuation of the population was being carried out during periods of calm between Ukrainian bombardments.
A massive attack by the Ukrainian military on the Kursk Region began on August 6. A missile alert was repeatedly declared in region.
At least five residents of the Kursk Region have been killed as a result of Ukrainian artillery bombardments and UAV strikes. According to the latest data, more than 60 people, including nine children, were injured; 55 of the injured are in hospitals; 12 of them are in serious condition.
Local residents are being evacuated to other Russian regions, including Moscow and the Moscow Region.
The Defense Ministry has said that the battle group North together with the Federal Security Service (FSB) has prevented the Ukrainian forces’ attempts to break through in the Sudzha and Korenevo districts of the Kursk Region. Kiev has lost 945 troops and 102 armored vehicles, including 12 tanks and 17 armored personnel carriers since the incursion into the Kursk Region began.