Third day of battles: Progress of Russian Volunteer Corps' raid in Belgorod and Kursk

Current information (information is being updated):

• (13:48) The Freedom of Russia Legion has called on Russian military personnel to surrender and join their side.

  "You can surrender and save your lives. But if you still have conscience and military honor, you can stand with us and fight together for a brighter future for our homeland," the fighters said in their declaration.

• (13:00) Shopping centers in Belgorod are being closed en masse by the end of the day.

• (12:47) The Regional Defense Committee demands that the governors of the Kursk and Belgorod regions do not obstruct evacuation.

  Russian volunteers have urged the Russian governors Roman Starovoit and Vyacheslav Gladkov to stop obeying the orders of the Kremlin regime and not obstruct evacuation.

  "The operation to liberate the Kursk and Belgorod regions will continue until all objectives are achieved," the volunteers declared.

• (12:03 PM) Russian authorities block evacuation of civilians from Belgorod region.

  According to RBC-Ukraine's sources in Ukrainian intelligence, the railway station is surrounded by security forces, people are starting to panic. The media outlet intercepted a conversation between local residents:

  "Karachansky was shot at and taxi drivers were shot at, I don't know how our people will travel. Yes, the railroad has already been unhooked, that's it, no one is allowed to go there or back, I don't know, it's a f***ing mess.

• (11:51 AM) In Tyotkino, Kursk region, two warehouses with munitions were destroyed, according to the Freedom of Russia Legion.

  "While Putin's army is destroying civilian houses, the Legion's artillerymen have filigree destroyed 2 warehouses of Putin's troops' munitions in Tyotkino," the description under the video reads.

• (11:10 AM) Russian media report allegedly three injured due to shelling in Belgorod.
• (10:53 AM) Missile danger declared in the Belgorod region. Online reports mention shelling in Belgorod, with witnesses posting footage showing dense smoke.

Battles

As of this morning, there were reports of battles in the area of the village of Spodaryushine in the Belgorod region. The pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Mash wrote that the so-called subversive reconnaissance group, which the resource refers to as Ukrainian, approached from the side of the Ukrainian village of Popivka. And there the battle began. The Russian army allegedly deployed aviation to repel the attack. So-called Russian correspondents claim that heavy equipment is being used to attack Spodaryushine.

In addition, battles for Tyotkino in the Kursk region continue for the third day. Furthermore, a volunteer of the Freedom of Russia Legion, Alexey Baranovsky, made an interesting proposal, which, in his opinion, could be put forward to the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. He said that the volunteers are ready to withdraw from Tyotkino if the Kremlin dictator withdraws the occupiers from the Ukrainian Melitopol.

"They are leaving Melitopol, and we are returning Tyotkino to them. In my opinion, this would be quite a good deal," Baranovsky said.

According to him, the situation in the border regions with Russia "is developing very dynamically."

"Fighting on the outskirts of Tyotkino continues. Thus, there are battles both in the Kursk region and in the Belgorod region. Our special liberation operation has been ongoing for the third day," Baranovsky added.

Gray zones

The interactive online map of military operations in Ukraine DeepStateMap, which allows tracking changes in the front line and the course of the Russian-Ukrainian war, also depicted the so-called gray zones in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, covering almost 42 square kilometers. Namely:

Tyotkino (Kursk region) - 11.29 sq. km;
Glotoe / Kozinka (Belgorod region) - 14.88 sq. km;
Lozova Rudka (Belgorod region) - 0.34 sq. km;
Nekhotievka (Belgorod region) - 1.57 sq. km;
Novaya Tavolzhanka (Belgorod region) - 13.72 sq. km.

Shelling continues

Since early morning, Belgorod and surrounding settlements in the region have been under shelling. Footage of a burning car allegedly hit by shelling was posted online. The Russian Volunteer Corps, in turn, declares that a military serviceman of the Russian army, Dmitry Olekseyevich Golishkin (military unit 31135), was killed in the car that was shelled.

Local authorities reported 4 injured, while the Russian Ministry of Defense reports that Russian air defense allegedly shot down 8 aerial targets over the Belgorod region. Meanwhile, locals hear powerful explosions and continue to complain about shelling.

About evacuation

After yesterday's warning, representatives of the Russian Volunteer Corps urged residents of the Belgorod and Kursk regions to evacuate again this morning, as strikes on military targets of the occupiers are being prepared. In a video posted at 09:14 AM, a military man says that "shelling will begin in 1.5 hours."

"Your leadership has taken no measures for your protection or evacuation, while shelling of peaceful cities and villages of Ukraine is ongoing! We are forced to open fire in response on military targets in border regions! Evacuate immediately!" the statement said.

Will volunteer troops reach Moscow?

The Freedom of Russia Legion announced their intention to go to Moscow. However, they immediately pointed out that this is a goal for several months.

"Reaching Moscow is the maximum plan. And it is obviously not a task for today or even tomorrow. The task is simply the liberation of Russia from Putin. Not to 'bite' the regime, not to harm it. This is an intermediate goal. Ultimately, of course, the task is to overthrow Vladimir Putin's regime when we reach the appropriate numbers and when a favorable situation arises in Russia," explained the representative of Freedom of Russia Legion, Baranovsky.

He said that currently Russian volunteers can only carry out limited military operations. But even they have a significant impact on the situation in Russia. And furthermore, the fighters promise that "there will be more."

For more details on the massive drone attacks, the latest raid by Russian volunteers in the Russian Federation, the main targets, and possible consequences, read RBC-Ukraine's coverage titled "Under Kremlin's nose: Role of drone attacks and border breaches in shifting war onto Russian soil."