Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed on Monday that Ukraine currently controls 28 settlements in the Kursk region, as Russia expands evacuations due to Kiev's cross-border offensive. As can be seen in the RIA Novosti video, Putin reacted violently to this news and interrupted the acting president. the governor of the Kursk region.

The Russian state news agency "RIA Novosti" announced on its "Telegram" channel that Putin had a meeting with the highest Russian security officials, at which he was informed by the acting the governor of the Kursk region Aleksei Borisovich Smirnov that "the situation in the region is difficult" and that Ukraine currently controls 28 settlements.

It is not easy to participate in a meeting with Putin when discussing the crisis. Some, less skilled, easily get their fingers, "Jutarnji list" writes.

Currently, the situation in the region is complex: today 28 settlements are under the control of the enemy. The depth of penetration into the territory of the Kursk region is 12 kilometers, the width of the front is 40 kilometers - Smirnov said at the meeting at Putin's dacha in Novo Ogariovo, and Putin interrupted him.

Listen, Alexei Borisovich, the military department will inform us about the breadth and depth there. You will tell us about the socio-economic situation and you will report on helping people - said the Russian president.

The governor confirmed that 121.000 people have been evacuated by Monday, and another 59.000 are awaiting evacuation.

Disruption in the Russian ranks

The situation in the Kursk region is bad, and the Ukrainian breakthrough caused a real commotion in the Russian ranks.

At the beginning of the conversation, Putin said that "the enemy will undoubtedly face a strong response, and all the goals we have set will certainly be achieved. "Kiev rejected our proposals for peaceful solutions, as well as those of interested and neutral mediators."

Russia's proposal for a peaceful solution calls for Ukraine to give up all four regions partially occupied by Moscow – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson – and start talks on that basis. Putin accepts the thesis that the Ukrainian attack is aimed at strengthening the negotiating positions.

It seems that the enemy with the support of their Western patrons is carrying out their directives, and the West is using the Ukrainians as mediators in this conflict. It seems that the enemy wants to strengthen his negotiating position for the future. But what negotiations can we have with those who indiscriminately attack civilians and civilian infrastructure or pose a threat to nuclear facilities? What to talk with such? Putin said.

Secondly, these actions are aimed at achieving the primary military goal: to stop the advance of our forces in their efforts to completely liberate the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics, regions of Novorussia - explains Putin.

Finally, another goal of the enemy is to cause discord and division in our society, to instill fear and undermine the unity and cohesion of the Russian people. They want to achieve this by destabilizing the situation in the border areas. However, the response of Russian citizens has been decisive: there is widespread support for those in need, strong support for the military and, most importantly, a growing number of individuals willing to join the ranks of those heroically defending Russia. Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people signing contracts with the Ministry of Defense - concluded Putin.

Shoigu is still sitting near Putin, Gerasimov at the end of the table

The Russian leadership is shocked by the attack and the success of the Ukrainian forces, and even more so by the inability of the supposedly powerful Russian army to repel the attackers.

Putin was visibly angry at the meeting, and it is fascinating that Sergei Shoigu, former defense minister and now secretary of the National Security Council, who is among the most responsible for all the problems of Russian intervention in Ukraine, still sits in the meetings closest to him. Also, Putin is not depriving himself of the services of Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, who has confirmed his inability to manage the Russian army, "Yutarnyi List" reports.

An alarming situation

As Newsweek writes, Russian forces in the Kursk region are actively working to respond to a surprise attack by Ukrainian forces while fighting in the region has been going on for a week. Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region on August 6, raising concerns among Russian officials. "Deutsche Welle" states that more than 76.000 civilians have been evacuated from the Kursk region, where the authorities have declared a state of emergency.

On Monday, the governor of the Kursk region, Smirnov, called the situation "alarming" but did not give further details.

❗️ BREAKING: Ukrainian soldiers in Sudzha

A photo of a Ukrainian soldier near a grocery store "Pyaterochka" in the city of Sudzha, Kursk region, has spread online. This store is located 10 kilometers from the state border with Ukraine.

Earlier, propagandists claimed that… pic.twitter.com/IOpvNtD2sI

- NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 9, 2024

The Russian military said on Sunday it had halted Ukraine's advance in the western Kursk region in several places, hitting troops and equipment in areas close to the border. It also said it thwarted an attempt by Ukraine to invade another border region in the Kursk region, further south from where most of the fighting has taken place so far. But verified footage and photos show that Ukrainian troops and their equipment have advanced 30 kilometers into Russia since the start of the operation on August 6, moving further into the Kursk region and capturing the town of Suja near the Russian border.

The Ukrainian military's advance has hurt Putin's efforts to show that Russia has remained intact during the war. State propaganda tried to downplay the attack, focusing on the government's efforts to help residents in the region, while deflecting attention from the military's failure to prepare and quickly repel the attack, according to Newsweek.

Everyone wants to hear only good news

Retired general Andrei Gurulev, a member of the lower house of the Russian parliament, criticized the Russian military over the Ukrainian advance in Kursk.

"Unfortunately, the group of forces protecting the border did not have their own intelligence assets. "No one wants to see the truth in the reports, everyone just wants to hear that everything is fine," said the retired Russian general, AP reported.