Ukraine's incursion in Kursk attempt to stop Moscow's offensive: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Ukrainian army's incursion into the Kursk region, which has caused more than 100,000 civilians to flee, is an attempt by Kiev to stop Moscow's offensive in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region and gain leverage in possible future peace talks.

Russian forces are scrambling to respond to the surprise Ukrainian attack after almost a week of fierce fighting, and Putin insisted Moscow's army will prevail.

Speaking at a meeting with top security and defence officials, Putin said the attack that began August 6 appeared to reflect Kiev's attempt to gain a better negotiating position in possible future talks to end the war.

He argued that Ukraine may have hoped to cause public unrest in Russia with the attack, adding that it has failed to achieve that goal, and claimed that the number of volunteers to join the Russian military has increased because of the assault.

He said the Russian military is driving on with its eastern Ukraine offensive regardless.

"It's obvious that the enemy will keep trying to destabilise the situation in the border zone to try to destabilise the domestic political situation in our country," Putin said.

Acting Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov reported to Putin that Ukrainian forces had pushed 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) into the Kursk region across a 40-kilometre (25-mile) front and currently control 28 Russian settlements.

Civilian evacuation

Smirnov said 12 civilians have been killed and 121 others, including 10 children, have been wounded in the operation. About 121,000 people have been evacuated or left the areas affected by fighting on their own, he said.

Tracking down all the Ukrainian diversionary units roaming the region is difficult, Smirnov said, noting that some are using fake Russian IDs.

The governor of the Belgorod region adjacent to Kursk also announced the evacuation of people from a district near the Ukrainian border, describing Monday morning as "alarming" but giving no detail.

Ukrainian forces swiftly rolled into the town of Sudzha about 10 kilometres (6 miles) over the border after launching the attack. They reportedly still hold the western part of the town, which is the site of an important natural gas transit station.

The Ukrainian operation is taking place under tight secrecy, and its goals — especially whether Kiev's forces aim to hold territory or are staging hit-and-run raids — remain unclear.

Russia has seen previous incursions into its territory during the nearly 2 1/2-year war, but the foray into the Kursk region marked the largest attack on its soil since World War II, constituting a milestone in the hostilities.

Russian reinforcement

It is also the first time the Ukrainian army has spearheaded an incursion rather than pro-Ukraine Russian fighters.

The combat inside Russia rekindled questions about whether Ukraine was using weaponry supplied by NATO members. Some Western countries have balked at allowing Ukraine to use their military aid to hit Russian soil, fearing it would fuel an escalation that might drag Russia and NATO into war.

Though it's not clear what weapons Ukraine is using across the border, Russian media widely reported that US Bradley and German Marder armoured infantry vehicles were there. It was not possible to independently verify that claim.

Ukraine has already used US weapons to strike inside Russia.

Russia's Defence Ministry said Monday that reinforcements sent to the area backed by air force and artillery had fended off seven attacks by Ukrainian units near Martynovka, Borki and Korenevo during the previous 24 hours.

The ministry said Russian forces also blocked an attempt by Ukrainian mobile groups to forge deep into the Russian territory near Kauchuk.

Russian air force and artillery also struck concentrations of Ukrainian troops and equipment near Sudzha, Kurilovka, Pekhovo, Lyubimovo and several other settlements, it said. Warplanes and artillery hit Kiev's reserves in Ukraine's Sumy region across the border, it added.