Putin vows 'worthy response' after Ukraine says it controls large portion of Russia's Kursk region

Russia on Monday evacuated civilians from parts of a second region next to Ukraine after Kyiv increased military activity near the border, just days after its biggest incursion into sovereign Russian territory since the start of the 2022 war.

Ukrainian forces rammed through the Russian border on Aug. 6 and swept across some western parts of Russia's Kursk region, a surprise attack that may be aimed at gaining leverage in possible ceasefire talks after the U.S. election in November.

Apparently caught by surprise, Russia by Sunday had stabilized the front in the Kursk region, though Ukraine had carved out a sliver of Russian territory where battles were continuing on Monday, according to Russian war bloggers.

In the neighbouring Belgorod region to the south, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said evacuations had begun from the Krasnaya Yaruga district due to "enemy activity on the border."

"I am sure that our servicemen will do everything to cope with the threat that has arisen," Gladkov said. "We are starting to move people who live in the Krasnaya Yaruga district to safer places."

Russia has imposed tight security in the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions, while its ally Belarus said it was bolstering its troop numbers at its border after Minsk said Ukraine had violated its airspace with drones.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Ukraine was trying to improve its negotiating position ahead of potential ceasefire talks in the future with its attack on Kursk. He also said Moscow would respond to Kyiv's attack.

"The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces are increasing dramatically for them, including among the most combat-ready units, units that the enemy is transferring to our border," Putin told a televised meeting with top security officials and regional governors.

"The enemy will certainly receive a worthy response, and all the goals facing us will, without a doubt, be achieved."

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and now controls 18 per cent of Ukrainian territory. Russian forces, which have a vast numerical supremacy, have been advancing this year along the 1,000-kilometre front after the failure of Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive to make any major gains.

Kyiv broke its silence on the attacks on Saturday when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had launched an incursion into Russian territory to "restore justice" and pressure Moscow's forces.

Ukraine's army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Monday that Kyiv controls around 1,000 square kilometres of Kursk, in his first comments on the shock cross-border incursion.

Zelenskyy, who published a video excerpt of Syrskyi's report on Telegram on Monday, said he ordered the preparation of a "humanitarian plan" for the area.

At the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, in a part of Ukraine controlled by Russian forces, a major fire broke out. Russia and Ukraine accused each other of starting it, though both sides reported no sign of elevated radiation.