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The guide is meant to protect to public from being mistaken for military targets.
Civilians living near Russia’s frontier with Ukraine are being urged to change how they dress and travel as security risks escalate. Officials say ordinary choices could now carry life-threatening consequences.
The warning comes as cross-border drone attacks continue to hit areas close to the fighting.
Local authorities in Russia’s Kursk region have advised residents to avoid clothing and vehicles that resemble military use. Vladimir Zaytsev, head of the Bolshesoldatsky district, issued the guidance as attacks become more frequent.
“Refrain from wearing military uniforms or using vehicles with military-style coloring (khaki, dark green, gray or olive), especially those bearing markings used by the Russian Armed Forces, when traveling in border areas and nearby districts,” Zaytsev said Wednesday in a post on the social media, VKontakte.
He shared the message on VKontakte, Russia’s social media platform, and warned that such appearances could lead to civilians being mistaken for military targets.
Not bordering Ukraine
Zaytsev said the precautions are intended to “prevent death or injury to the civilian population and the destruction of motor vehicles.”
The remarks follow deadly incidents in the district, where at least two people have been killed this year in drone strikes targeting moving vehicles. One of the victims was reported to be a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Although Bolshesoldatsky does not directly border Ukraine, it has felt the impact of nearby fighting. The area briefly became a frontline zone after Ukrainian forces launched an incursion into neighboring districts in August 2024.
Not the first warning
According to The Moscow Times, similar warnings have emerged in other regions.
The governor of Belgorod, which borders both Kursk and eastern Ukraine, recently urged civilians to avoid wearing military-style clothing within 15 kilometers of the border.
Both Kursk and Belgorod have faced repeated shelling and drone attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.
Officials say the guidance reflects a growing concern that civilians could be misidentified amid increasingly frequent and unpredictable strikes.
Sources: Regional officials, VKontakte posts, The Moscow Times
