MOSCOW

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry on Monday reported that 650 more people had been evacuated from the Kursk region amid ongoing clashes with Ukrainian troops.

The total number of evacuees from the region due to Ukraine's incursion has now exceeded 121,000, according to the ministry's statement.

The fighting continues, with Ukrainian forces maintaining their offensive actions, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a separate statement, claiming that all attacks were successfully repelled.

Russian aviation and artillery have targeted Ukrainian concentrations of manpower and reserves, while reconnaissance units are searching forests for groups attempting to advance deeper into Russian territory, it said.

The ministry reported that a significant number of prisoners have been taken and some military equipment captured and destroyed, including advanced HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram, citing Ukraine's commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, that the objectives of the operation in the Kursk region are being met.

Zelenskyy also claimed that Ukrainian troops have taken many captives for potential future prisoner exchanges.

Independent verification of claims of both sides remains difficult due to the ongoing conflict.