Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 12 accused Ukraine of trying to "destabilize" his country, and vowed a "worthy riposte" to Kyiv's ongoing incursion into Kursk Oblast.
"One of the obvious goals of the enemy is to sow discord, strife, intimidate people, destroy the unity and cohesion of Russian society," Putin said during a televised meeting with government officials.
"The main task is, of course, for the defense ministry to dislodge the enemy from our territories."
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.
During the same meeting, Alexey Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast, described the current situation as "difficult," and told Putin that Ukraine is in control of 28 settlements, adding the incursion was up to 12 kilometers deep along a 40 kilometer front.
Putin said in response to the incursion, there had been an increase in the number of men signing up to fight.
"The enemy will receive a worthy riposte," he said.
Although reinforcements sent by Moscow have begun to arrive on the battlefield, Ukraine has reportedly continued to advance farther into Kursk Oblast.
Ukrainian forces control about 1,000 square kilometers in Russia's Kursk Oblast as of Aug. 12, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.
Until now, Kyiv has so far maintained a policy of silence on the incursion, despite the ongoing fighting and Ukraine advancing deeper into Russian territory.
Russian authorities have been forced to announce widening civilian evacuation measures in a number of districts bordering Ukraine.
Smirnov told Putin that 121,000 people had so far been evacuated and another 59,000 needed to leave.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
