Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been informed of attempted attacks on the Kursk nuclear power plant (NPP) and has committed to sending specialists.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency has been informed, they promise to ... come themselves and send specialists for an assessment," Putin said at a meeting on the regions of Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod.

Putin also expressed hope that the IAEA will deploy specialists to assess the situation at the Kursk NPP.

Russia's Kuban operation center reports attack in Kavkaz Port

Meanwhile, Russia's Kuban Region operational headquarters reported that Ukraine had attacked a railway ferry on Thursday with fuel tanks in the port of Kavkaz.

"The Kiev regime made another attempt at a terrorist attack on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory - a railway ferry with fuel tanks in the port of Kavkaz was attacked. Emergency and special services are working at the site," the operational headquarters said on Telegram.

Kiev loses over 4,700 troops: Russian Defense Ministry

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that Ukrainian armed forces have lost over 4,700 personnel and 68 tanks since the start of the operation in the Kursk direction.

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"In total, during the military operations in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost more than 4,700 service people, 68 tanks, 27 infantry fighting vehicles, 53 armored personnel carriers, and 336 armored combat vehicles," the Ministry said in a statement.

Furthermore, in the past 24 hours, Ukraine has lost over 300 service members and 23 armored vehicles, including three tanks, in the Kursk direction, according to the Ministry.

Units of the Russian northern group repelled Ukrainian attacks near two villages in the Kursk region and thwarted attempts in five other directions, the Ministry reported, adding that Kiev lost over 45 personnel and one tank in these confrontations.

Abrams Tank, Ukrainian military equipment hit in Kursk Region

Moreover, the commander of Russia's Akhmat special forces regiment Maj. Gen. Apti Alaudinov said that an Abrams tank and a dozen pieces of military equipment belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces had been destroyed in Russia's Kursk Region.

"We have hit a dozen units of various equipment, including pickups and an Abrams tank. Besides, several artillery installations, as well as several control points, were also destroyed," Alaudinov said on Telegram.

Earlier this week, NBC reported that Kiev had been planning an incursion-style attack on Russia similar to the one currently happening in the Kursk Region for some time, citing an anonymous top Ukrainian government advisor.

Ukraine launched its surprise offensive attack in the Kursk region on August 6 as part of its war with Russia, losing more than 2,800 service people and 41 tanks. Some of the weapons used by Ukraine are generally funded or provided by the NATO alliance.

Ukraine loses up to 765 Soldiers in battles with Russia's Yug Group

The Ministry added that Russia's Yug (South) group of forces has eliminated up to 765 Ukrainian servicepeople over the past 24 hours, adding that "the AFU [armed forces of Ukraine] losses amounted to up to 765 Ukrainian troops, four pickup trucks, one Grad MLRS launcher [among other military losses in battles with the southern group]."

The Tsentr (Center) group of forces has seized control of the settlement of Mezhove in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and has eliminated up to 640 Ukrainian troops, according to the statement. Additionally, the Zapad (West) group of forces has reported eliminating up to 440 Ukrainian troops while up to 130 Ukrainian service people were killed in battles with the Vostok (East) group.

It is worth noting that the Russian military reported that its troops have captured another village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, adding that its troops had seized the village of Mezhove, situated between Avdiivka, taken in February, and the logistics center of Pokrovsk, toward which Russian forces are advancing. The Ministry emphasized that the capture of the village, the latest in a series of territorial gains for Moscow’s forces, was achieved through "successful operations".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities are warning that Russian forces are advancing rapidly. Communities in and around Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine, are being urged to flee within the next two weeks as Russian forces push forward. 

“Don’t wait. It will not get better, it will only get worse. Leave," warned Yurii Tretiak, the head of the military administration in the town of Myrnohrad, which is now less than 3 miles (4.8km) from the frontline.