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.
