KURSK, June 5. /TASS/. During the occupation of Novoivanovka, a village in the Sudzha district of the Kursk Region, Ukrainian soldiers committed acts of violence against local residents, including arson and the use of chemical agents. Yelena Drugova, a resident who sought refuge in a basement during the incursion, provided testimony at an international online teleconference titled Liberation of the Kursk Region.
She recounted, "Around 1 a.m. on October 21, 2024, a tank arrived, accompanied by a heavy drone overhead. They began to gas us and opened fire on the nearby houses. They were aware of our presence - seven civilians hiding there. Fires erupted, and explosions shook the area. Those who managed to escape grabbed their crutches and bags and fled."
Drugova explained that these events unfolded after the Russian army entered the settlement. She was unable to evacuate earlier due to injuries sustained in Ukrainian attacks - specifically, bullet wounds. "Our soldiers pulled me out amid mortar and tank fire. They destroyed the tank and led me to a nearby basement. Sadly, my father was caught in the fire and burned alive in the house," she said.
She further described the prolonged period of danger following these events. "I couldn’t be evacuated for a long time because of relentless drone attacks," she continued. "I was lying there with broken legs and arms, unable to move. FPV drones prevented any rescue attempts. Out of more than 40 people, only 20 survived - others were killed by drones or burned alive." Drugova was finally evacuated from the village on December 19.