Russia has imposed a “counter-terrorism operation” regime in three regions to try to halt a surprise cross-border incursion by Ukrainian troops.<\/p>\n
The authorities in the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions on the border with Ukraine now can restrict the movement of people and vehicles and use phone tapping among other measures.<\/p>\n
This comes as the Ukrainian offensive into the Kursk region is now in its fifth day. Kyiv has not openly admitted the incursion.<\/p>\n
Reports say Ukrainian troops are threatening to seize one regional town as they fight more than 10km (six miles) inside Russia – the deepest advance since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.<\/p>\n
The new security measures in the three Russian border regions were announced by the National Counter-Terrorism Committee (Nak) on Friday.<\/p>\n
It said this was done “to ensure the safety of citizens and suppress the threat of terrorist acts by enemy sabotage and reconnaissance units”.<\/p>\n
The authorities now have powers to enter private homes, restrict the movement of traffic and pedestrians, order the temporary relocation of people and monitor information sent electronically.<\/p>\n
This comes as Moscow is struggling to contain the Ukrainian offensive.<\/p>\n
Russia said that up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops, supported by tanks and armoured vehicles, entered the Kursk region on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
The Ukrainians have since reportedly seized a number of villages, and are also threatening the regional town of Sudzha.<\/p>\n
On Friday, a video emerged purportedly showing armed Ukrainian soldiers who claimed to have control over the town, as well as a key Russian gas facility there owned by the Gazprom company.<\/p>\n
BBC Verify has now confirmed that the footage was indeed from the Gazprom facility on the north-western outskirts of Sudzha, about 7km from the border with Ukraine. The video alone does not verify the claim that Ukrainian troops have taken the whole town.<\/p>\n
Russian military bloggers earlier claimed that the town was in Moscow’s hands.<\/p>\n
Earlier, BBC Verify checked and confirmed the location of another video posted online on Friday morning. It shows a 15-vehicle Russian convoy damaged, burned and abandoned on a road through the town of Oktyabrskoe, roughly 38km from the border on the Russian side.<\/p>\n
The footage also shows Russian soldiers, some injured, possibly dead among the vehicles.<\/p>\n
Moscow has since sent reinforcements – including tanks and rocket-launching systems – to the Kursk region.<\/p>\n
In its latest report on Saturday morning, the Russian defence ministry said its troops were “continuing to repel the attempted invasion” of Ukrainian forces.<\/p>\n
It claimed that Ukraine’s attempts to “break through deep into Russian territory” had been foiled.<\/p>\n
The Russian claims have not been independently verified.<\/p>\n
On Friday, the UN nuclear agency urged both Russia and Ukraine to “exercise maximum restraint” as the fighting was edging closer to the Kursk nuclear power plant – one of the biggest such facilities in Russia.<\/p>\n
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said measures must be taken \u201cto avoid a nuclear accident with the potential for serious radiological consequences\u201d.<\/p>\n
The power plant is located about 60km north-east of Sudzha.<\/p>\n