Russia: 1,000 civilians missing after Ukrainian withdrawal from Kursk region
Following the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) units from the Kursk region, the whereabouts of approximately a thousand residents remain uncertain, according to Russia’s Ombudsperson for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova. "Our efforts brought back over 100 people from Sumy. Initially, the list of those missing contained 2,000 names. As of today, there are still about a thousand unaccounted for," she shared in an interview with RIA Novosti.
Moskalkova confirmed the complete list of the missing individuals has been handed over to Ukraine's Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. "We will continue our search and remain hopeful that these people can be found alive," she added.
Interim Governor of the Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, presented different figures in late May, citing 576 people, including four minors, as missing following the AFU incursion. He also reported 304 civilian casualties.
Around the same period, Kursk regional prosecutor Alexey Tsukanov claimed that 789 residents remained unaccounted for. Meanwhile, data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in late April indicated that 1,905 people went missing in the Kursk region over the year, with 1,762 of these cases occurring after the Ukrainian military offensive began.
Hostilities in the Kursk region began on August 6, 2024, when AFU units crossed the Russian border, swiftly seizing approximately 1,300 square kilometers. Russia soon launched a comprehensive counter-offensive involving over 50,000 troops, including units from North Korea. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimated that Russian troop numbers in the region reached 78,000 in February 2025, with actual figures potentially higher.
Despite extensive operations, the Russian advance proceeded sluggishly, with North Korean forces incurring significant losses and being withdrawn from the frontline. Amid prolonged fighting and the lack of visible gains, Putin stopped mentioning the Kursk campaign in public addresses in January 2025. A turning point emerged in March after the cessation of intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Ukraine, tilting the situation in Moscow's favor. Putin eventually declared the complete liberation of the Kursk region on April 26 - nearly nine months following the AFU incursion.
Speaking on post-conflict assessments, Alexander Khinshtein reported that at least 7,585 residential buildings, covering around 507,000 square meters, were damaged or destroyed. Authorities estimate the damage exceeded 750 billion rubles, equal to eight annual regional budgets. Commander of the AFU, Oleksandr Syrskyi, in March stated Russian military losses in the Kursk region surpassed 54,900, including over 22,200 dead. More than 900 Russian soldiers were taken captive.