President Putin orders his military to dislodge Ukrainian forces that crossed border last week

President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered his military to “dislodge” Ukrainian forces that crossed the border last week, as officials in the Kursk region reported that over 120,000 people have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.

Kyiv launched a surprise offensive into Russia’s southwestern Kursk region on Tuesday, seizing more than two dozen settlements in what marks the most significant cross-border incursion on Russian territory since World War II.

“The enemy’s clear objective is to sow discord, incite fear, and undermine the unity and cohesion of Russian society,” Putin said during a televised meeting with government officials.

“The primary mission now is for the defense ministry to remove the enemy from our territory,” he emphasized.

According to Kursk regional governor Alexei Smirnov, an estimated 121,000 people have fled their homes since the fighting began, which has resulted in at least 12 civilian deaths and 121 injuries. Smirnov provided this update to Putin during Monday’s meeting.

Kursk authorities have expanded their evacuation zone to include the Belovsky district, home to around 14,000 residents. The neighboring Belgorod region also announced the evacuation of its Krasnoyaruzhsky border district.

Ukrainian forces have advanced at least 12 kilometers (seven miles) into the region, capturing 28 towns and villages, with the new front line stretching approximately 40 kilometers (24.8 miles), Smirnov reported.

A Ukrainian official said over the weekend that the operation aims to stretch Russian forces and destabilize the country after months of slow Russian progress along the front lines.

Putin pledged that Russia would respond by providing “support for all those in distress” and noted an increase in men signing up to fight. “The enemy will receive a fitting response,” he vowed.