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Ukraine on Aug. 6 launched the biggest foreign attack on Russia
since World War Two, bursting through the border into the Kursk
region with thousands of troops supported by swarms of drones
and heavy weaponry, including Western-made arms.
Kursk is a major grain producer in Russia, contributing 4% to
the total grain harvest last year. Russia is the world's largest
wheat exporter.
"The introduction of a federal emergency regime and a
counter-terrorist operation regime in the region have had a
significant impact on the region's economy," Governor Alexei
Smirnov said in a publicly broadcast meeting with senior
officials at Russia's agriculture ministry.
Earlier on Wednesday, pro-Moscow war bloggers and a senior
Russian commander said Russian forces had begun a significant
counter-offensive against the Ukrainian troops in Kursk.
Smirnov said "the estimated damage has amounted to tens of
billions of rubles and is increasing". His public presentation,
shown during the event, provided a preliminary estimate of 85
billion roubles ($934.07 million).
He said the harvesting of grains could not be completed on an
area of 160,000 hectares, while oilseed crops amounting to
500,000 metric tons and sugar beet amounting to 700,000 tons had
been damaged or transported out of Russia.
According to the governor's figures, more than 300,000 tons of
grain remain in warehouses in territory currently occupied by
Ukrainian forces. Smirnov also reported significant livestock
losses, with over 350,000 heads of pigs and cattle dead.
($1 = 91.0000 roubles)
(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and
Gareth Jones)
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