Russia evacuates tens of thousands as Ukrainians advance

Nine hundred days have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, and six have now passed since Ukraine invaded Russia.

Ukraine’s shock cross-border offensive continues, as Vladimir Putin appeared on Russian State TV today, alongside the Kursk region’s governor, Alexei Smirov, to address the incursion. The Russian President fumed that “the enemy will undoubtedly receive a worthy response”, and that the Ukrainian invaders will be “kicked out”. Smirnov was less energetic, retorting that Ukraine now occupies 28 villages in his region and that 121,000 citizens have been forced to evacuate. Putin did not appear pleased.

In the Belgorod region to Kursk’s south, an additional 11,000 civilians have been ordered to evacuate today following unconfirmed reports that Ukrainian tanks have crossed the border there as well in a new frontier of the offensive.

In response to the humiliating setback, some Russian pundits and politicians have deviated from the party line, daring to criticise the military leadership for its poor planning. Their concerns were parroted by fleeing Russian civilians, who voiced outrage at the “lies” being told to them by authorities.

Others, such as UK-sanctioned Duma member Abalbi Shkhagoshev, have shifted the blame by erroneously alleging that “Britain participated in all such sorties. English was heard”.

The UK Ministry of Defence has rebutted these claims, instead releasing a video this morning which declared: “Russia planned to surround Kyiv within three days, bring down the government, and conquer most of Ukraine in less than a month. In reality, 900 days on, these objectives have failed”. The clip went on to estimate that Russia has suffered more than half a million casualties and has spent $211 billion on the faltering war effort.

For the first time in many months, Ukraine’s morale is high. Ukrainian soldiers have advanced at least 30 km inside Russia, and numerous clips of triumphant, flag-waving, troops escorting Russian prisoners have made their rounds on social media.

The offensive reportedly involves thousands of Ukrainian servicemen, with initial victories alleged to have been won due to Ukraine “sending its most combat-ready units to the weakest point of the (Russian) border”.

Ukrainians online have joked that it is a “special military operation”, and “will require referendums to solidify”.

While the new theatre of operations has certainly reinvigorated Ukraine’s fighting spirit, many analysts are concerned over the mission’s long-term viability, as the deeper Ukrainian forces go, the more vulnerable they become to flanking manoeuvres and logistical setbacks.

As of now, the goals of the offensive remain opaque. However, some are speculating that the Kursk nuclear power plant, roughly 30 miles from current Ukrainian positions, could be an intended target. The prospect of Ukrainian capture over such a critical facility led Putin to rage: “What kind of negotiations can we even talk about with people who indiscriminately attack civilians, or threaten our nuclear power plants?”.

His concerns over nuclear instability were shared by Zelensky, who chastised Russia over the weekend for allegedly setting fire to the Zaporizhia nuclear plant it occupies in Ukraine’s East. Zelensky begged the International Atomic Energy Agency to do something, and said the situation “cannot be normal” until Russia ends its “blackmail” and releases the plant into Ukrainian hands.

Putin is fuming, the Ukrainians are marching, and all eyes are on the war once again as an unprecedented counteroffensive changes the dynamics of the conflict.