2 Years After Kursk Incursion, Russia Raises Civilian Death Toll to More Than 600

Aug. 6, 2026 The city of Sudzha in the Kursk region, which Ukraine occupied between August 2024 and early 2025. Russian Defense Ministry At least 640 Russian civilians were killed and 561 others were wounded during Ukraine’s occupation of the southwestern Kursk region, the Investigative Committee said Thursday on the second anniversary of Kyiv’s surprise cross-border incursion. The updated figure from Russia’s top investigative body marks an increase from previous estimates that varied from around 350 to more than 500 civilian deaths during the months-long occupation. Investigators on Thursday highlighted a case in which a Ukrainian serviceman was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to life in prison for allegedly collaborating with fellow soldiers to kill 14 civilians, as well as raping and killing eight women. The Moscow Times could not independently verify those claims. Since Ukraine was forced to retreat from the Kursk region in early 2025, Russia has secured the return of all residents known to have been held in Ukrainian captivity. However, the fate of another 320 civilians remains unknown, Russia’s human rights ombudswoman said in June. The Investigative Committee said it is continuing a wide-ranging probe into the Ukrainian occupation of the Kursk region. Investigators said they are gathering testimonies from returned civilians to document potential war crimes. Estimates from law enforcement authorities put total property damage at 505 billion rubles ($6.2 billion) across 186 towns and villages in the Kursk region, with at least 53 cultural heritage sites — including churches and museums — damaged during the fighting. Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into the border region in August 2024. They were forced to retreat in early 2025 after Russian forces, backed by North Korean troops, launched a counteroffensive. More than 150,000 people in the Kursk region were ordered to evacuate towns and villages near the border amid the fighting. Ukraine has had thousands of its own civilians held in Russian-occupied territory since the 2022 invasion. Separately, a joint investigative report by the exiled news outlets IStories and Vyorstka published on Thursday estimated that at least 77 conscripted Russian soldiers died during the Kursk incursion and more than 30 others remain missing. Read more about: Kursk , Investigative Committee Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian Investigators Blame Ukraine for Deadly Bridge Blasts Near Border At least seven people were killed and 113 others were injured when a bridge in the Kursk region collapsed and crushed a train underneath it. 1 Min read Russia Accuses Ukraine of Killing 9 Civilians in Kursk Region Investigators claimed that Ukrainian troops “purposefully shelled residential buildings in the village of Makhnovka... no later than March 2025.” 2 Min read Russia Claims Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Nearly 2 Dozen Civilians in Kursk Region Investigators claimed that eight women, whose bodies were said to have been found in a basement, were raped before being killed. 1 Min read Russia Charges British Man Captured Fighting in Kursk With ‘Terrorism’ James Scott Rhys Anderson was captured in November while fighting with Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. 2 Min read