Russia shuts schools in city of Kursk after border incursions

Russia on Tuesday shut schools temporarily in the city of Kursk near the Ukraine border, after attacks on the region by pro-Kyiv militias and an increase in Ukrainian drone strikes.

The news that schools would close until the end of the week followed an announcement by Moscow that it had deployed warplanes, rockets and artillery to fend off an attack on its territory from Ukraine.

“In connection with recent events, I have taken the decision to put schools on remote learning,” Kursk Mayor Igor Kutsak said on social media, adding that the measure would last until Friday.

A pro-Kyiv militia claimed on Tuesday it had captured the village of Tyotkino in the Kursk region, where Moscow said battles had taken place.

Kursk, a city of around 440,000 people and capital of the region, is located some 140 kilometers (85 miles) from Tyotkino, which is on the border with Ukraine.

Kursk has so far been spared the kind of Ukrainian attacks that Belgorod – a Russian city closer to the Ukraine border further south – has seen.

But it has suffered increased drone strikes in recent days.

The Russian army said it destroyed four Ukrainian drones over the Kursk region on Tuesday in the space of an hour.

At the weekend, a Ukrainian drone damaged a building in Kursk city.