Ukrainian Forces allegedly enter Russia's Belgorod region, triggering local evacuations
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are reportedly engaging in battles within Russia's Belgorod region near the Ukraine border. On Thursday, March 20, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Russian region, issued multiple alerts about the threat of missile attacks in the Krasnoyaruzhsky and Rakityansky districts.
According to his reports, several areas within the region have faced drone attacks in the past 24 hours. Shelling has been documented in the Volokonovsky, Krasnoyaruzhsky, Shebekinsky districts, as well as the Grayvoronsky municipal district.
The news outlet "7x7 - Horizontal Russia" reports requests from residents of the Rakityansky district for evacuation due to ongoing battles in the neighboring Krasnoyaruzhsky district. People in Ilek-Koshary, located 15 km from the border, have been living without electricity, water, and gas, under constant shelling conditions for the fourth day, as noted in a post by "7x7" on Telegram. Residents have complained to the governor about the lack of means to leave the village. Other localities in the district are facing similar situations.
The outlet also reported that authorities in Belgorod started evacuating residents from the Krasnoyaruzhsky district on March 18 amid Ukrainian attempts to breach the border and attacks on the settlements of Grafovka and Demidovka.
Authorities encouraged people to relocate to temporary accommodation and promised to provide food packages. However, comments on Gladkov’s page noted that no official evacuation had been declared and that many who left voluntarily weren't eligible for compensation.
On the evening of March 19, it was reported that authorities had closed entry to the Krasnoyaruzhsky district, which Ukrainian forces are trying to breach. The settlements are being patrolled by Rosgvardiya, police, and territorial defense, and enterprises within a 15-kilometer zone from the border have been instructed to procure armored vehicles for workers and continue paying salaries to those unable to work.
Official information regarding activities in these border areas remains scarce. As "7x7 - Horizontal Russia" highlights, while authorities are publicly silent about evacuations, efforts have been ongoing in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district since the evening of March 18. On March 20, the Belgorod governor publicly acknowledged the death of a Rosgvardiya officer during hostilities on the Grafovka to Repêzhovka road.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced the destruction of a Russian Armed Forces command post near Demidovka on March 18. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense, on March 20, claimed to have destroyed "armored vehicles and manpower belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Belgorod's border areas."
The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes that Ukrainian units have advanced south and southwest of Demidovka, as well as southwest of Grafovka. However, it remains unclear if these positions are being held, as outlined in their report.
According to the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, Russian troops along the entire Belgorod region border have been put on high alert. "FPV drones cover the skies over the main roads, and UAVs from the Ukrainian Armed Forces reportedly control roads within Russia's territory," states the channel. Sources revealed that the previous night, Ukrainian forces executed a series of successful incursions across the border: small groups on quad bikes were inserted to the outskirts of the village of Demidovka in the Belgorod region.