Moscow, August 11, 2024, The Europe Today: Tatyana Moskalkova, Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, has condemned this week’s cross-border incursion by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk Region, labeling the attacks as “barbaric” and calling on the United Nations to denounce Kiev’s actions against the local civilian population.
In a statement posted on her Telegram account on Sunday, Moskalkova announced that she has formally appealed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, urging him to “condemn the terrorism on the part of Ukraine and take measures to prevent the gross mass violations of human rights” in the Russian border region.
“As a result of the barbaric attack on Kursk Region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, thousands of civilians have suffered,” Moskalkova stated. She expressed hope that these events would be reflected in the upcoming report on human rights violations by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which is expected to be released in September.
Clashes in the border areas of Kursk Region have been ongoing since August 6, following a significant cross-border incursion by Ukrainian troops. In response to the escalating situation, the Russian Emergencies Ministry declared a federal emergency in the region, and the National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) initiated counterterrorism measures.
The attacks have already resulted in at least four civilian casualties, with 15 more people injured in overnight shelling of the regional center, Kursk. The shelling also caused damage to an apartment building. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a total of 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and four tactical missiles were intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems over Kursk Region during the night.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM) reported on Saturday that over 76,000 residents from the region’s border areas have been relocated to safer locations over the past few days. Acting Governor Aleksey Smirnov accused the Ukrainian army of attempting to disrupt civilian evacuation efforts by “firing at civilians and ambulances.”
The Kremlin has described Kiev’s actions as a large-scale provocation and has accused Ukrainian forces of indiscriminately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in the region. Earlier in the week, the Russian military reported that it had successfully halted the advance of Ukrainian troops and has been pushing the remaining forces back towards the border.
As the situation continues to develop, the Russian government is appealing to the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take a firm stance against the violence and to hold Ukraine accountable for the attacks on Russian civilians.
