Moscow, Aug 17 (IANS): A unit of 24 soldiers from Ukraine's 22nd separate mechanised brigade surrendered to the Russian armed forces in Kursk, Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Saturday.

These Ukrainian soldiers surrendered as a group near the village of Komarovka in the Kursk region, a representative of the Russian security forces was quoted as saying, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Before the surrender, the Ukrainian military contacted us through the FREE_SOLDIER2022 (Telegram) channel," the representative said.

The Ukrainian armed forces started an offensive in southern Russia's Kursk region on August 6.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported on Friday that Ukraine has so far lost 2,860 military personnel and 41 tanks during the fighting in the Kursk region.

A mandatory evacuation was ordered for all residents of the Glushkovsky district in Russia's Kursk region earlier on Thursday, acting Governor Alexei Smirnov announced on his official Telegram channel.

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