Russia Raises Kursk Civilian Death Toll to Over 640 on Incursion Anniversary

In a statement marking the second anniversary of Ukraine's surprise cross-border operation, Russia's Investigative Committee said Thursday that at least 640 civilians were killed and 561 others wounded during the months-long occupation of the southwestern Kursk region. The updated toll is higher than previous estimates, which ranged from roughly 350 to more than 500 deaths.

The committee highlighted a case in which a Ukrainian serviceman was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to life in prison for allegedly killing 14 civilians with accomplices and raping and killing eight women. The Moscow Times could not independently verify those assertions.

Since Ukrainian forces withdrew from the region in early 2025, Russia says it has secured the return of all residents who were known to be held in Ukrainian captivity. However, the fate of another 320 civilians remains unknown, according to Russia's human rights ombudswoman in June. The Investigative Committee says it continues a broad probe, gathering testimony from returnees to document potential war crimes.

Authorities estimate property damage at 505 billion rubles ($6.2 billion) across 186 towns and villages in the Kursk region. At least 53 cultural heritage sites, including churches and museums, were damaged during the fighting.

Ukraine launched its incursion in August 2024, but was forced to retreat in early 2025 after Russian troops, backed by North Korean forces, launched a counteroffensive. More than 150,000 people in the Kursk region were ordered to evacuate border-area settlements amid the hostilities.

Ukraine itself has thousands of civilians held in Russian-occupied territory since the 2022 invasion. Separately, a joint investigation by exiled outlets IStories and Vyorstka, published Thursday, estimated that at least 77 conscripted Russian soldiers died during the Kursk incursion and more than 30 others remain missing.