NewsRussian regions on high alert as Ukrainian forces advance

Russian regions on high alert as Ukrainian forces advance

Chaos at the border continues. Russian authorities have issued new warnings.
Chaos at the border continues. Russian authorities have issued new warnings.
Images source: © PAP | PAP/EPA/STRINGER

21 August 2024 08:02

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has appealed to residents of regions bordering Ukraine to exercise particular caution in the face of the growing threat from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The ministry's spokesperson issued a series of recommendations to increase citizens' safety in the Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions.

Ukraine shocked the world by attacking the Kursk region in Russia. This historic event marks the first time since World War II that foreign troops have entered the territory of the Russian Federation.

According to General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ukrainian army has taken control of 93 localities, covering over 490 square miles of Russian territory. The Russians are currently using a manoeuvre defence tactic, trying to halt the further advance of Ukrainian troops deeper into the country.

Additional military units are being deployed to the area, indicating increased activity in the Kursk region, where new defensive groups are being formed.

Further actions of our forces on this front will depend on the development of the operational situation - summarised General Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Appeal to the residents of western Russia

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has appealed to residents of regions bordering Ukraine to be particularly cautious in the face of the escalating situation. The ministry’s spokesperson issued a series of recommendations in connection with this threat.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs communicated that it could be particularly dangerous to use online dating services.

Using online dating services is strongly discouraged. The enemy actively uses them to gather information - said the spokesperson.

Using such services poses the risk that personal data and locations of users could fall into the wrong hands, which could be a serious national security threat.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs also emphasised the need for military personnel to exercise particular caution. Military personnel should avoid using phones that contain confidential information and delete contacts of people who Ukrainian forces have captured.

It is important to monitor and moderate chats and quickly delete the accounts of people captured by the enemy or whose phones have been compromised - added the spokesperson.

Further recommendations involved the discontinuation of the use of security cameras, which can become tools in the hands of Ukrainian intelligence services.

The enemy identifies IP address ranges in our territories, gains remote access to unsecured cameras, monitoring everything from private yards to strategic roads and highways. If not necessary, it is better to avoid using industrial cameras - said the spokesperson.

The entire situation illustrates how complex and dangerous warfare has become in an era of advanced technology. Russians who only recently felt safe on their own territory now have to be careful about what they share online and what devices they use. The armed conflict has moved to a level where information and data have become as important as traditional military operations.