Russians in Kursk region ‘shaken’ as Ukraine launches new offensive

On Sunday, photographer and social activist Oleg Pogozhikh went to work at his studio in Kursk, western Russia, to the roar of explosions.

Sitting on the border, the Kursk region came under occasional bombardment early on in the full-scale war with Ukraine. Fighting intensified in August last year, when Ukraine launched a daring incursion into the area, capturing several settlements. Russia has since retaken much of the territory seized.

But this weekend has seen resurgent battles as Ukraine launched a new offensive in Kursk.

“Everything is as usual: missile warning sirens, explosions somewhere nearby,” Pogozhikh wrote on his Telegram feed, titled Eye of Kursk.

“Today it is especially loud. I am in the studio, and a couple of times I was shaken so much that it blocked out my ears. Close. So close that the question arises: what is the enemy trying to achieve? Of course, their goal is to spoil the holiday season, sow panic, distract attention.”

“Events began to occur earlier, namely after midnight,” Yan Furtsev, a local official with Russia’s liberal opposition party Yabloko, told Al Jazeera.

“Missile threat warnings began sounding, explosions were heard on the streets of Kursk, which were the result of the operation of anti-missile defence systems. But the frequency of explosions on this night was higher than on previous January nights and even in December. Almost 16 missile alerts and one warning about a drone attack were heard in almost 24 hours.”

Amid the incursion, Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov travelled to Kursk and met the local governor. Although the reasons for his visit were not officially disclosed, it is thought he came to personally oversee the region’s defences.

“All this cannot help but cause concern among citizens living in the city of Kursk, since the sound and shockwaves from downed drones and missiles are noticeably carried throughout the city’s outskirts,” Furtsev continued, adding that locals are experiencing heightened anxiety because the first week of January is a government holiday in Russia, meaning information is scarce.

But not all residents are cowering in fear.

“Everything is quiet and good in Kursk,” Pogozhikh told Al Jazeera.

“I am confident in the Russian army. It may be loud, but people are not worried. The attack of [enemy] troops seems to be only on Telegram. In reality, this is far from the truth. Life is going on as usual. Russian air defences are shooting down their drones and missiles, so few people pay attention to them. Of course, when the enemy targets civilian objects and women, children and old folks die, it angers us a little.”