Russian authorities in Kursk acknowledge looting issue, announce street patrols

The Moscow Times reported the information.

According to Kursk region head Alexander Khinshtein, military police and the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs will patrol the territories of Korensky, Glushkovsky, and Velikosoldatsky districts, including at night, to control the situation.

"I hope this will reduce the desire of those looking to profit from others' misfortune," Khinshtein said.

The outlet noted that looting in border areas became widespread after the evacuation of locals due to combat operations.

Witnesses claim that among the looters, some were Russian soldiers who stole cars and killed pets guarding the property.

Residents appealed to Putin and the Ministry of Defense for action, but their requests were ineffective.

Local authorities previously ignored numerous reports of looting, attributing them to "enemy disinformation."

During the summer, several looting incidents were recorded, including the looting of a MegaFon store by Russian soldiers. While some criminals were found and detained, most incidents went without proper response.

In January 2025, the first verdicts in looting-related cases were announced, including one involving serviceman Stanislav Lopatin. Another trial involved serviceman Nikita Sobolev, who also received a verdict for looting.

• On the evening of Saturday, February 1, the Russian army dropped an air bomb on a boarding school in Sudzha, Kursk region, where elderly and sick people were seeking shelter.