Russia has admitted that it has not yet been able to evacuate nearly 20,000 people in the Kursk region.

Acting Governor Kursk, Alexey SmirnovThis is what he admitted today during his meeting with the Russian President, Vladimir Putinwhich is still close to Evacuation of 20 thousand people Ukrainian forces partially invaded this border area on August 6.

“The evacuation zone includes eight districts of the Kursk region with a population of 152,566 people. As of today, 133,190 people have left, 19,376 people remain.”

Smirnov noted that the authorities continue to transfer people “to safe places” and It was not specified whether the mentioned areas and their inhabitants are located in the territories controlled by the Ukrainian army.

Smirnov admitted on Wednesday of last week that Ukrainian forces had taken control of the area. Nearly 30 towns with a population of about 2,000 people Their fate is still unknown, but so far Ukraine has captured nearly 100 Russian cities.

He pointed out that more than 500 refugee camps Where more than 12 thousand people live, while the rest found shelter in the homes of their relatives.

At the meeting, which was also attended by the governors of Belgorod, Vyacheslav GladkovFrom Bryansk, Alexander BogomazThe need to strengthen the protection of the region with local self-defense units was discussed in light of the negative experience of Kursk, where Russian forces did not stop the Ukrainian offensive.

Gladkov said that two regiments had been created in Belgorod, consisting of about 6,000 people, who “are already carrying out tasks in all areas surrounding the border” with Ukraine.

“Based on the current situation, we understand that we cannot ensure payment to our self-defense forces without systematic support. They are now carrying out their tasks completely free of charge,” the Belgorod governor said.

A request joined by Bogomaz, which stipulates that the supply of regional defences “shall be borne by the regional budget”.

“I request a study of the possibility of financing from the federal budget.” He addressed the Russian President, saying that this would ease the burden on the local budget and allow for an increase in the number of self-defense forces.

According to Bogomaz, the Bryansk territorial defense unit was created last year and “carries out its tasks in six districts” of the region.

Putin did not ignore these requests and stated that he spoke on Thursday with representatives of the Russian military leadership and “they already have the order in this regard.”

“I request that this be put into effect immediately through joint efforts,” he concluded.

The Russian authorities have implemented some of them. Evacuation drills in the Bryansk border region In the face of enemy forces’ attempts to enter that area amid the Ukrainian military operation in neighboring Kursk, Bogomaz reported.

“Emergency evacuation drills of the population in case of emergency were conducted in six border areas of the Bryansk region,” Bogomaz said during a meeting on the situation in Russia’s border regions chaired by Putin.

(With information from EFE)