In August 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region and seized control of dozens of towns. After seven months of fighting, in March 2025, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced a breakthrough by its troops and the liberation of most towns in the region, including the border city of Sudzha. According to official Russian government data, Ukraine’s offensive in Kursk displaced at least 112,000 civilians, while thousands more (exact figures remain unknown) were unable to flee the war zone for various reasons. Many of these people died under occupation — either from shelling or from a lack of medical care and essential aid.