Kursk Citizens Rally Against Cuts to Vital Support for Displaced Families

On Monday, a group of residents in the southwestern Kursk region held a protest in response to the recent decision by the regional government to discontinue monthly compensation payments for individuals whose homes were severely damaged during Ukraine’s invasion.

Since February, those displaced in the area have been receiving monthly assistance of 65,000 rubles (approximately $800) along with various other support measures.

On Saturday, Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein and First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov announced that funds previously allocated for these payments would be redirected to broader recovery and development initiatives starting in January.

«We must give the regional economy a fresh impetus,» Khinshtein stated in a Telegram message.

Around 200 displaced residents gathered on Monday outside the Sudzhansky district administration office in the regional capital, voicing concerns that the cut in payments would jeopardize their livelihoods.

Footage shared by the exiled news outlet Govorit NeMoskva exhibited elderly women confronting one of Khinshtein’s advisers and other officials.

«Ending the 65,000 rubles will leave us homeless and in debt,» expressed one protester.

More than 150,000 individuals were ordered to evacuate from towns and villages close to the border following a surprise incursion by Ukrainian forces in August 2024. Earlier this year, Ukraine retreated after Russian forces, with assistance from North Korean troops, conducted a successful counteroffensive.

Since then, displaced residents have organized multiple protests, highlighting poor living conditions and what they perceive as insufficient compensation.