"Russian Defectors Warn Putin: Evacuate Belgorod or Face Fire"

Three groups of Russian defectors serving with the Ukrainian Armed Forces have urged President Vladimir Putin to evacuate the country's border regions of Belgorod and Kursk as they prepare to shell the positions of troops in the area. The defectors issued a joint statement urging civilians to leave the cities to avoid casualties, and expressed their goal of liberating Russia from Putin's regime. The incursion comes as Russia prepares for its presidential election, and the defectors' actions mark a significant escalation in the conflict.