Russian oligarch Deripaska calls for ceasefire as Ukrainian Forces advance in Kursk region
Ukrainian forces are fortifying their positions in Russia's Kursk region, expanding their control in certain areas, and continuing their advance or conducting reconnaissance missions. The situation remains unclear due to numerous unverified reports emerging from the combat zones. Nonetheless, today the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry declared a federal-level emergency in the region.
Despite the Russian Defense Ministry releasing footage of Ukrainian military equipment being destroyed, the Russian army has been unable to turn the tide, even with reinforcements being sent to the area.
Overnight, Telegram channels posted videos of fires near the village of Oktyabrskoye in Rylsk district. Morning visuals revealed 13 damaged military trucks; some reduced to ashes, and the bodies of numerous soldiers seen in the remains.
The conflict extends beyond the Kursk region, with massive drone attacks targeting Russian energy facilities and military bases. According to Russia's military, defense systems "intercepted and destroyed" 75 Ukrainian drones overnight: 26 in the Belgorod region, seven in Kursk, five in Bryansk, four in Voronezh, five in annexed Crimea, eight over the Black Sea, one in Oryol, and 19 in Lipetsk.
In Lipetsk, a military airfield was struck. The regional governor reported "detonation of explosive devices," which occurred "far from civilian structures." To manage the fallout, an emergency regime has been declared in the Lipetsk municipal district, with evacuations ordered from four nearby villages.
Amid Ukraine's incursion into Russian territory, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska called the war "madness" and urged for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire."
"If you want to stop the war, you first need to cease fire," Deripaska said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council in Tokyo. He warned that war expenses are damaging Russia's economy, with exports to Asian markets being its only savior.
Deripaska had previously called the Ukraine conflict "madness" a month after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Later that year, following litigation, Deripaska's company lost control of the "Imeretinskiy" yacht and hotel complex in Sochi,which cost him a billion dollars. Since then, he has been more cautious in his statements.
When questioned by Nikkei Asia on his current relationship with Vladimir Putin, the businessman declined to comment.
"They leave me alone, and I stay out of politics," Deripaska stated.
Previously, the United Nations expressed concerns over the presence of Ukrainian forces on Russian territory. "Such incidents increase the risk of escalation, and we would like to see the situation deescalated to the greatest extent possible," Deputy UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Farhan Haq was quoted by Russian outlet RBC.