Following Ukraine’s unexpected cross-border offensive into Russia’s Kursk region on August 6, 2024, Russian troops have been reported looting abandoned villages. The suddenness of Ukraine’s advance left Moscow’s forces disorganized, with many retreating in chaos. As a result, troops had time to loot the homes of approximately 120,000 villagers who had evacuated before the attack.
A video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) shows Russian soldiers searching through a home in Kursk. The footage depicts the family’s belongings scattered on the floor, clearly indicating a prior ransacking. The video suggests that this looting was carried out by a unit reportedly affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Images on Russian social media also reveal a supermarket that had been looted. A blogger commented that the abandonment of villages and towns had spurred widespread looting. Such actions echo earlier patterns observed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At that time, Russian troops were frequently seen looting supermarkets for food and robbing banks, as illustrated by videos from the Kherson region in March 2022.
In a recent statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked that Ukraine’s actions were aimed at improving its future negotiating position. This was discussed at a meeting on the Kursk situation, where Putin framed the Ukrainian offensive as a “major terrorist provocation.” He claimed that Ukraine’s goal was to disrupt and intimidate Russian society, thereby undermining national unity.
Reports from the liberated town of Kupyansk describe extensive looting. Homes were stripped of furniture, appliances, and even plumbing fixtures. Local farms lost machinery and livestock, with some livestock consumed by poorly rationed troops.
In the border town of Mazyr, Russian soldiers were seen sending plundered goods in large parcels back to Russia. These packages weighed up to 450 kilograms (990 pounds).
A week into the offensive, Ukraine has advanced approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) into Kursk and controls around 1,000 square kilometers (385 square miles) and nearly 30 settlements. Many of these areas are deserted, littered with destroyed Russian vehicles and casualties.
Ukraine’s military commander, General Oleksandr Syrsky, confirmed that Ukrainian forces were effectively managing the situation. He reported ongoing combat along the front line, with the situation under control.
Recent days have also highlighted poor military discipline among Russian forces. A missile attack near Oktyabrskoye in the Rylsky district destroyed a convoy of Russian military vehicles. Another incident involved friendly fire near Krivitskie Budy in the Belovsky district, where a Russian Ka-52M attack helicopter mistakenly targeted its own columns, destroying equipment including a 152mm self-propelled howitzer.
In his address to the nation, President Putin reiterated his characterization of the Ukrainian offensive as a terrorist act. He emphasized the need for the defense ministry to expel Ukrainian forces from Russian territory. Despite these statements, the actions of Russian troops appear to be contributing to the very discord and disruption that Putin seeks to prevent.
