Russia on Monday ordered the evacuation for “security” reasons of villages located less than 15 kilometers from Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk, where kyiv’s troops have been leading an offensive since early August.
Key information to remember
⇒ Russian Army: Putin’s Decree
⇒ EU: Lithuanian Kubilius appointed to new position of Defence Commissioner
⇒ Russia orders evacuation of Ukrainian border villages in Kursk region
Russian Army: Putin’s Decree
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the increase in the size of the Russian army, ordered the day before by President Vladimir Putin, was linked in particular to threats targeting its western borders, in the midst of an armed conflict against Ukraine.
“This is due to the number of threats against our country,” “an extremely hostile situation on our western borders and instability on our eastern borders,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Putin signed a decree on Monday ordering the number of troops to be increased to 1.5 million from 1.32 million so far.
Russia orders evacuation of Ukrainian border villages in Kursk region
Russia on Monday ordered the evacuation for “security” reasons of villages located less than 15 kilometers from Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk, where kyiv’s troops have been leading an offensive since early August.
These areas have not been the scene of fighting so far and the Russian authorities have not detailed the reasons for this decision, which comes as Moscow has claimed in recent days the recapture of a dozen localities occupied in August by Ukrainian forces.
“Based on operational information, in order to ensure security, the regional headquarters decided on the mandatory evacuation of settlements in Rylsky and Khomutovsky districts located in the zone up to 15 kilometers from the border with Ukraine,” wrote Alexei Smirnov, acting governor of the Kursk region.
Lithuanian Kubilius appointed to new post of Defence Commissioner
Lithuanian Andrius Kubilius was appointed European Commissioner for Defence and Space on Tuesday, a new position created by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in response to the Russian threat and the war in Ukraine.
A former two-time prime minister, credited with his country’s economic recovery during the 2008 financial crisis, he will have to strengthen defence in Europe, a priority of the new Commission. But the extent of his responsibilities, and the means at his disposal, remain to be specified.
Russia: Two Chinese ships in Vladivostok for joint maneuvers
Two Chinese ships have arrived in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East for joint exercises with Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday, in a new sign of the rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing.
“From September 16 to 20, two ships of the Chinese coast guard (…) are in Vladivostok” at the invitation of the Russian border guards, the local representation of the ministry indicated in a press release.
The ships will participate in Russian-Chinese maneuvers and carry out joint patrols, according to the same source.
Meta bans Russian state media from its platforms for ‘interference’
US group Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced on Monday that it was banning Russia’s main state media group from accessing its platforms worldwide, to prevent any “foreign interference activity”.
The ban comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday denounced the destabilizing activities of the Russian group Rossia Segodnia, to which RT belongs, which he said had become a veritable “branch” of Russian intelligence in the world.
“After careful consideration, we have expanded our action against Russian state media,” Meta said in response to an AFP query.