The creation of a buffer zone on the territory of Kursk region is a step designed to protect border areas from daily enemy shelling, said Interior Minister of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko.

"Due to the constant Russian terror, the population of 183 settlements in 15 territorial communities of Sumy region is subject to priority evacuation. More than 20,000 people have already been evacuated, of which almost 2,500 are children. The creation of a buffer zone on the territory of Kursk region is a step designed to protect our border communities from daily enemy shelling," he wrote on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

According to the minister, during this summer, the occupiers inflicted more than 2,000 strikes on the territory of Sumy region, missiles, artillery, bombs, attack drones, mortars were used.

"Residents of settlements in the zone of the defense operation were abandoned by Russia without the necessary things. Currently, the military are providing the Ministry of Internal Affairs with information on the needs for providing local drinking water, food, medicines, hygiene products so that, in coordination with other relevant authorities, we can organize humanitarian assistance as soon as possible," he said.

Klymenko stressed that all humanitarian initiatives of Ukraine are carried out only in compliance with the norms of international law.