Kursk Protest Leader Detained and Released: A Call for Continued Support Amidst Displacement Challenges

Authorities in the Kursk region in the southwest detained a displaced resident who protested against the cessation of state support payments, but she was released a few hours later, according to media reports on Tuesday.

As reported by Pepel Kursk, Alyona Liskova was one of 200 individuals who gathered on Monday, calling on local officials to continue the monthly payments of 65,000 rubles (around $800) intended as compensation for the damage inflicted on their homes during the conflict with Ukraine.

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

Pepel noted that Liskova was a key figure at the protest, speaking on behalf of the displaced residents to both Governor Khinshtein and President Vladimir Putin.

According to Pepel’s Telegram channel, police detained Liskova early Tuesday, but by around 3:30 p.m. Moscow time, they reported her release, indicating that officers had merely “conversed” with her without filing any charges.

Independent Russian media covering Monday’s protest highlighted a video exchange where an advisor to Khinshtein criticized the male population of the Kursk region for not defending their homes during the invasion.

Following a surprise incursion by Ukrainian forces in August 2024, over 150,000 individuals were ordered to evacuate from towns and villages near the border. Earlier this year, Ukrainian forces were compelled to retreat as Russian troops, supported by North Korean soldiers, executed a successful counteroffensive.

Since then, displaced residents have organized multiple protests, citing poor living conditions and what they consider insufficient compensation as their primary grievances.