Indian Embassy Urges Nationals to Evacuate Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk Regions in Russia

On August 14, the Indian Embassy in Moscow issued a notice advising Indian nationals in Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions in Russia to evacuate due to the ongoing Ukrainian incursion into these areas.

The embassy urged Indian nationals to "take necessary precautions and temporarily relocate outside these regions" in light of recent security incidents in the regions. Belgorod region borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region and is adjacent to Kursk.

An undated statement from the Indian Embassy in Moscow reports that approximately 14,000 Indians are currently in Russia, including around 4,500 students. India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed in March that it had identified 35 cases of Indian men being recruited to fight for Moscow in Ukraine, with at least two confirmed killed in combat.

On August 12, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially stated that Ukraine is conducting an operation in the Kursk region of Russia. According to the latest data, Ukraine was controlling 74 settlements, about 1,000 km² of the territory of the Russian Federation. Zelenskyy has also stated that hundreds of Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukrainian forces.