Authorities in Russia’s Kursk Oblast have announced the creation of an armed volunteer group called “Bars – Kursk” to maintain order in the region, as reported by RFE/RL’s Current Time on 29 August. Acting Governor Aleksei Smirnov stated that the primary function of the group will be to ensure security in eight evacuated districts and other territories of Kursk Oblast.
In the wake of the Ukrainian advance, incidents of looting have been reported. Video footage emerged showing individuals in Russian uniforms looting a Wildberries warehouse – “Russian Amazon” – in the village of Zvannoe, Glushkovsky district, Kursk Oblast.
More and more often locals report cases of robbery by Russian soldiers in the Glushkovsky district of the Kursk region of Russia.
The video shows Russian soldiers looting stores in the village of Zvannoe, Kursk region.
Glushkovsky district is cut off from the main part of… https://t.co/VOBBJTgOTN pic.twitter.com/4cr9wSN1NL
— Special Kherson Cat ???????????? (@bayraktar_1love) August 23, 2024
Prior to this, three Russian military personnel robbed a mobile phone store in the town of Glushkovo, breaking windows and showcases and removing goods. It is known that at least one of the mobile phone store robbers was a fighter from a Chechen unit, Current Time says.
A number of videos on social media show pillaged shops in the Russian-controlled areas of Kursk Oblast.
A perfect indicator Putin's Russia is rotten to the core. In the Kursk region behind the frontline – due to widespread looting by Russian troops & civilians, the Russian authorities are creating groups of armed volunteers to ensure "law and order." Video – town of Rylsk.… pic.twitter.com/vUOw493Inj
— Glasnost Gone (@GlasnostGone) August 30, 2024
The Kursk governor says the newly-established group will cooperate with military and security structures:
“Volunteers who sign a contract will undergo training and receive necessary weapons. The fighters will work in close cooperation with the army and the KTO (Counter-Terrorist Operation, – Ed.) headquarters, which will ensure effective coordination and protection of civilian infrastructure,” Smirnov wrote.
The “Bars – Kursk” volunteers will also participate in supporting the life of evacuated areas to assist remaining residents, according to Smirnov.
So Russians looted their own hospital in Lgov.
UA army is at least 20km away from it.
This should tell you everything about the “mysterious Russian soul” https://t.co/6Wr3iZMMIr
— Andriy Haydash (@andriyhaydash) August 27, 2024
Related:
- Army of marauders: the long history of Russian military looting, pillaging, and stealing
- Syrskyi: Ukraine advances 2 km in Kursk Oblast as Pokrovsk remains most challenging sector
- The Hill: Putin’s public image shifts as Ukraine pushes into Russia’s Kursk
- Russia auctions stolen Ukrainian painting by Aivazovsky
- “Brotherhood of nations”: Russia opens museum of looted Ukrainian belongings
- Texty: Russian museums refuse to return 110,000 Ukrainian looted treasures