Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv still advancing in Kursk as Moscow opens 400 shelters amid evacuation

Ukrainian forces are still “ advancing further ” into the Russian border region of Kursk as Moscow scrambled to open hundreds of shelters amid a mass evacuation.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, said geolocated footage showed that despite Russian claims that the cross-border assault had stabilised, Kyiv ’s forces were still pushing forwards .

Russia ’s emergency ministry said 400 temporary shelters across the country had been opened to house around 30,000 people forced to flee Ukraine ’s offensive which began last week.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian military chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed his troops had taken nearly 390 square miles of territory in Kursk, a huge portion of land in just a week.

Such a gain, if true, would mean his forces have taken almost three times as much territory in the past week than they did during their entire roughly three month counteroffensive last summer, according to estimates .

“The troops are fulfilling their tasks. Fighting continues actually along the entire frontline,” the general said. “The situation is under our control.”