Andrey Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, says that the Russian authorities are using residents of the Belgorod and Kursk regions as “human shields”:
“The (Russian) authorities are once again trying to use civilians, their own fellow citizens, as “human shields” in order to protect the Russian terrorist regime.”
According to the GUR representative, writes “UP”, interceptions between Russian security forces, as well as between the local population, indicate that transport hubs are surrounded and there are roadblocks. The authorities are threatening people with both fines and dismissal from their jobs.
Yesterday, the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Siberian Battalion announced a “limited military operation” and called on residents of border areas to evacuate. To this end, Russian volunteers opened a humanitarian corridor for civilians and Russian military personnel from 21.00 yesterday until 7.00 this morning, March 15.
On March 13, Russian volunteers published a joint statement announcing attacks on Russian military positions in Belgorod and Kursk, and they called on local residents to evacuate. At 10.30 on March 14, the head and founder of the Russian Volunteer Corps Denis Nikitin said that Russian volunteers within an hour and a half will open fire on Russian military targets in the Belgorod and Kursk regions.
Subsequently, the RDK called on all residents of the Kursk and Bryansk regions who did not have time or do not have the opportunity to evacuate, to immediately proceed to shelter.
The raid of Russian volunteers on the territory of the Russian Federation lasts for the fourth day, writes “Correspondent”. There are areas in the Kursk and Belgorod regions that have already moved into the gray zone. After breaking through the Russian border on March 12, Russian volunteers advanced several tens of kilometers inland, said the chief of staff of the RDK, Alexander “Fortuna”:
“There are different directions. There are directions where units advanced several kilometers, others by several dozen. It (the raid) was prepared for several months.”
According to him, the RDK has no losses in the Belgorod region, and “on the Russian side there are losses in both manpower and equipment, but we will talk about specific numbers later. There are prisoners, they were given assistance, they were transferred to the Ukrainian side,” – he said, declining to give a specific number.
The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, on Thursday, March 14, said that he had returned from the Grayvoronsky urban district, where, according to Russian pro-war bloggers, there were battles. Gladkov assured that “there are no Ukrainian troops in the region, the battle is taking place outside its borders.” “But our Kozinka suffered greatly, the destruction is very serious,” says a message on the governor’s Telegram channel.
Previously, writes DW, Russian “military correspondents” reported that there is a battle on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Thus, according to Yuriy Kotenok, a Ukrainian helicopter landing force landed near the village of Kozinka. The pro-Russian Telegram channel WarGonzo also wrote about the landing, saying that Ukraine was “increasing pressure” in the border areas to “prevent the normal holding of elections.”
Residents of Belgorod should not refuse to go to polling stations on March 15-17, despite shelling and missile danger, said city mayor Valentin Demidov. He called the upcoming presidential elections “the most important event in the history of Russia,” from which it is “impossible to remain aloof”:
“Belgorod residents must show unity and determination. Confidently state your position. With terrorist attacks, the enemy is trying to intimidate us, divide us, and destroy our usual way of life. But I know that Belgorod residents are strong people. And we, like no one else, understand the real meaning and importance of everyone’s participation in the presidential elections of the Russian Federation,” wrote Demidov in the telegram channel.
The Legion and RDK report that “since the operation of the humanitarian corridor announced for the evacuation of civilians from the Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia, as of 07:00 Moscow time, more than 7,000 civilian vehicles have used it.”
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