Mass evacuation in Russia's Belgorod region: residents flee amid rising tensions along the border with Ukraine
More than 11,000 residents of the Krasnaya Yaruga district in Russia's Belgorod region were evacuated on August 12 "due to the operational situation," according to a Tuesday morning Telegram post by the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Currently, around 1,000 people are staying in temporary accommodation centers, which are equipped with food and essential supplies, said Gladkov, without specifying whether active conflict is ongoing in the area. The previous day, pro-Russian Telegram channels reported attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU).
As of 8 a.m. Moscow time on August 13, Gladkov had issued three alerts about missile threats in the region and subsequently lifted them three times.
Governor Gladkov announced the evacuation of the Krasnaya Yaruga district, located between Russia's Kursk region and Ukraine's Sumy region, and local authorities have since restricted entry to the area.
On August 12, the head of the Krasnaya Yaruga district, Andrey Miskov, reported that approximately 11,500 people remained in the vicinity, including around 500 administration officials.
Governor Gladkov earlier mentioned that the village of Vyazovoe in the Krasnaya Yaruga district was shelled twice, damaging power lines, with electricity now supplied through backup systems.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) have been conducting military operations in Russia's border-adjacent Kursk region since August 6, 2024. On August 10, Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) announced the evacuation of over 76,000 people from the region. An additional 8,000 people evacuated the following day in organized columns and independently, according to EMERCOM on August 11.
A senior Ukrainian security official told AFP that "thousands" of UAF troops are involved in the operation, aiming to "stretch" Russian forces and "destabilize" Russia.
On August 10, Russia's Belgorod region instituted a counter-terrorism operation (CTO). Under the law, authorities can check IDs and detain individuals without proper documentation, restrict access to specific areas, monitor electronic communications, and listen to phone conversations. The measure also includes "temporary relocation" of residents, limited movement of vehicles and pedestrians, and authorities have the right to access homes and properties and use military equipment.