Evacuated residents of Russia's Kursk Oblast are being taken to recreational facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea, Suspilne Crimea reported on Aug. 15.
The Ukrainian military launched a surprise incursion across the border into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6, bringing regular Ukrainian forces into Russia for the first time.
Following the incursion of Ukrainian troops into Kursk Oblast, local authorities announced evacuation, particularly to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
An employee of one of the Crimean recreational facilities told Suspilne Crimea on condition of anonymity that since Aug. 13, local authorities had begun bringing refugees from Kursk Oblast to their city, which was not disclosed by the source for security reasons.
"Yesterday (on Aug. 14), we were told that it is likely that families with children will be vacationing with us (at a recreational facility) from the next shift. The free places will be allocated for them. Now this issue is being resolved," the source said.
Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine's President in Crimea, Denys Chystikov, told Suspilne Crimea that the regional branch of the Red Cross in Kerch initiated the resettlement of Kursk Oblast's residents to the territory of the Crimean city.
Thirty-five people had already moved into facilities in Yevpatoriya, Chystikov claimed.
Francis Farrell
Chystikov said that Russia's transfer of population from the Russian territory to occupied Crimea is a violation of Article 4 of the Geneva Convention.
The official suggested that Russia is continuing the policy of population displacement that it has been employing since 2014 when it began to massively move people from Russia to occupied Crimea through various programs.
About 600,000 Russian citizens were brought to occupied Crimea by official calculations, and according to unofficial data, this figure may have reached one million, Chystikov said.
According to Russian authorities, some 121,000 residents of Kursk Oblast have been evacuated so far, and a preliminary total of 180,000 evacuations is planned.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Aug. 14 that Ukraine’s military is creating a "security zone" on Russian territory to protect Ukrainian border areas. Vereshchuk said that Ukraine would be conducting humanitarian operations in the area, including creating safe corridors for civilians to evacuate — both toward Ukraine and to other parts of Russia.
International humanitarian organizations will also be allowed to enter the area to support the civilian population and monitor the situation, she added.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Aug. 14 that Russian civilians residing in parts of Kursk Oblast where fighting has been ongoing had been "abandoned" by authorities, who fled without leaving in place basic humanitarian necessities.
The Interior Ministry would assist in the provision of food, water, medicine, and hygiene products to help support the local civilian population, Klymenko added.
Owen Racer
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