India Issues Urgent Evacuation Warning for Russia's Border Regions

India has told its citizens to evacuate from areas close to the Ukrainian border, as armed confrontations continue to rage across the Russian southwest following the surprise cross-border raid by Kyiv's forces.

According to a Wednesday advisory, published on the Telegram channel of Belarussian-focused news agency NEXTA, the Indian embassy in Moscow is urging nationals to evacuate from three Russian regions.

"In view of the recent security incidents in Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk regions, Indian nationals are advised to take necessary precautions and relocate outside these regions," the announcement read. "Any Indian national or student requiring assistance may contact the embassy."

Newsweek has contacted the Indian embassy in Moscow for further comment, as well as the foreign ministries of countries on Russia's western borders to inquire whether they will issue similar advisories.

Kyiv launched the surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk from its northeastern Sumy region last Tuesday, now considered the largest attack on Russian soil since the invasion began in February 2022.

Ukraine has continued to advance further into Russian territory since then, so far taking control of over 70 settlements according to Kyiv, and leading to intense fighting across several border regions.

As a result, Russia said it will evacuate around 200,000 people from the border regions, and on Friday declared a "federal-level emergency" in Kursk.

On Wednesday, Kursk's acting Governor Alexei Smirnov announced a "mandatory evacuation of the entire Glushkovsky district," located in the western section of the oblast.

Russia has also implemented security measures in Bryansk and Belgorod, which border Kursk, with RIA Novosti reporting on Saturday that a "counter-terrorism operation" had begun in the two oblasts.

Russia's Belgorod Oblast declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, and over 11,000 have been evacuated from the region by Russian authorities, according to Russian state media.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, this will "allow Belgorod Oblast authorities the power to restrict movement within emergency areas likely either to secure Russian logistical support for Belgorod Oblast border areas or Russian defensive measures within the Kursk Oblast."

On Telegram, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the region had been hit by drone strike strikes and shelling from Ukrainian forces and on Thursday morning wrote: "The entire territory of the Belgorod region is MISSILE DANGER. Go down to the basement. Stay there until you receive the signal 'All clear missile danger'."

Given the "deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the adjacent territories of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation," Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk on Wednesday announced that the country had opened a 24-hour hotline for Russian residents of Kursk who want to evacuate from the region.

"Ukraine must be ready to receive Russian refugees," Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram.

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