Russian authorities claim hundreds of bodies have been discovered in mass burial sites in the Kursk region following the end of a Ukrainian military incursion, according to Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Moskalkova said 524 bodies had been recovered since August 2024, when Ukrainian forces crossed into the border region during an offensive that was later repelled.
Ukraine launched the operation in August last year, briefly capturing territory in Kursk in what Kiev described at the time as an effort to increase pressure on Russia and strengthen its position ahead of potential negotiations. Russian forces gradually regained control, with Moscow declaring the region fully liberated in April 2025.
Moskalkova said Russian agencies had undertaken extensive efforts to locate civilians affected by the fighting. She reported that 2,173 people were initially listed as missing during the incursion, with 1,378 later found alive, 452 still unaccounted for, and 343 confirmed dead.
Russian officials have accused Ukrainian forces of committing war crimes during their presence in the region, including indiscriminate shelling, violence against civilians, and abuse of prisoners of war. Moskalkova also alleged that Ukraine continues to carry out attacks on Russian border areas, saying that as of January 20 this year, ten people had been killed and 52 civilians injured, including three children.
In addition, she claimed that 12 residents of Kursk were being held by Ukraine in violation of the Geneva Conventions and called for their unconditional return. Moscow says some residents were returned during previous prisoner exchanges.
Earlier this month, the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, stated that 445 civilians were killed and 553 wounded during the period of Ukrainian control in parts of the region.
Capture that Zelensky creature and his cronies and put them on trial. As for you National, dont you send our tax dollars for this. What a disgrace!