ISTANBUL

The death toll since the start of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region rose to 17, local authorities told the state media on Tuesday.

“According to the latest data, 17 people have been killed as a result of the attacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing sources from the country’s medical services.

The report further said that among over 140 injuries, 75 were hospitalized, including four children.

Kursk Governor Alexey Smirnov earlier said 12 people were killed in the region and 121 others injured.

Kyiv’s incursion in Kursk began on the night of Aug. 5-6, with its forces entering the border region near the town of Sudzha, about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of carrying out a “large-scale provocation” and “indiscriminate shooting,” defining the incursion as a "terrorist attack."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted it was an "operation" by Ukraine's troops days later, specifying that the goal of the incursion is to create a "buffer zone” against Russian attacks.

On Monday, Zelenskyy claimed that Ukraine captured 1,250 square kilometers (about 480 square miles) of territory and 92 settlements in Kursk since the start of the incursion. Russia has not yet commented on the claim.

Elsewhere, Smirnov previously declared that 121,000 residents of the region have already been evacuated, with 59,000 others preparing to do the same.​​​​​​​