At Least Three Dead in Ukraine Strike on Russian Village

At least three people have been killed and nine injured, including four teenagers, following an attack by Ukrainian forces on the village of Bilyaya in Russia’s Kursk region. According to local authorities, the strike hit a store, leaving devastation in its wake. Regional governor Alexander Hinstein condemned the attack as ‘barbaric and inhumane.’ The August 2024 surprise incursion into the Kursk region by Ukrainian forces aimed to halt attacks on eastern and northeastern Ukraine, force Russia to withdraw troops advancing on the eastern front, and gain leverage for future peace negotiations. However, Russian armies continue their advance in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces appear to have lost control of roughly two-thirds of the territory they initially captured in the Kursk region. Despite this, Ukraine’s Chief of the General Staff, Oleksandr Syrskyi, insists the situation remains ‘under control’ and has ordered reinforcements sent to the area.