In Russia’s Kursk, IDPs go on flash rally demanding that authorities acknowledge war

On Sunday, about a hundred residents of Kursk region, who were forced to flee their homes due to the raid by the Ukrainian troops that was kicked off in August, gathered for a spontaneous rally in the main square of Kursk with a demand to meet with officials to discuss the problems of the internally displaced persons.

This is reported by Current Time, Ukrinform saw.

A local Telegram channel posted a video showing fragments of communication between the protesters and local government representatives who came out to them.

One of the officials reportedly asked activists who had organized the rally and told them of the illegality of uncoordinated public actions. At the same time, he claimed that the military, who allowed the border breach and the seizure of part of the Russian territories by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, "will be prosecuted", and that "the culprits have already been detained." What he meant by the detention is not entirely clear, the outlet notes, as no official reports have been published of any military officials being arrested over the incursion.

The protesters responded by saying that there were only "conscripts armed with rifles" at the border, and that it’s the "generals" that should be held accountable. There were also demands to officially acknowledge the ongoing war with Ukraine as the Russian authorities, almost three years into the full-scale war, still refer to it as a "special military operation".

Another official reportedly promised activists to organize a meeting with the head of the Sudzha district.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine entered the territory of Russia’s Kursk region on August 6. According to official data, more than 110,000 people have fled their homes in several districts, where hostilities are taking place, as well as in a number of other districts close to the border with Ukraine. IDPs complain of issues with accommodation and government assistance.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Special Operations Forces, as a result of successful operations performed behind enemy lines in Kursk region, eliminated 14 Russian soldiers and captured another three.