A Ukrainian ‘sabotage and reconnaissance group’ has entered the territory of the Grayvoronsky district in Russia’s Belgorod region, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov says.
“The armed forces of Russia alongside the border service, the National Guard, and the FSB are taking all necessary measures to liquidate the opponent. I will keep you informed,” he wrote on Telegram.
Shot Telegram channel reported earlier that there was “heavy fighting involving a Ukrainian sabotage group” on the border of the Belgorod region. “Both sides are using military equipment, and a few drones were spotted in the sky. Air defence systems are working, too,” the channel reported.
Update
UTC+3 15:20 The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps are executing “an operation” in the Belgorod region in order to create “a security strip”, says Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s military intelligence, in a comment for Suspilne. He says this “operation” is being executed exclusively by Russian nationals.
UTC+3 16:55 Vladimir Putin has been informed of a “breakthrough attempt” in the Belgorod region, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov says. Efforts are being aimed at “pushing this sabotage group from the Russian territory and destroying it, there are enough forces to do this,” he said.
Mykhaylo Podolyak of Volodymyr Zelensky’s office has stated on his social media that Ukraine has no direct conncetion to the sabotage group.
“Ukraine is following the events in Russia’s Belgorod region with interest, but has no direct connection to it.”
Podolyak stated that “in a totalitarian country, armed partisan movements become the only dynamic political force available”.
UTC+3 18:15 Counter-terrorist mode has been declared in the Belgorod region, local governor Gladkov reports.
Ukrainian telegram channel Skrynka Pandory published footage of what it claims to be a tank entering the Grayvoron border checkpoint from Ukrainian territory.
The Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) also reported earlier that its fighters had crossed the Russo-Ukrainian border. The RVC Telegram channel posted four short clips with people dressed in camouflage standing in front of road signs that mark entrances to various localities in the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk. In one of the videos, a person behind the camera shouts “Up the RVC!” and directs his camera at an armoured vehicle.
Shortly after, Gladkov reported “a massive information attack” on the region “amid a mass shelling of the Grayvoronsky district”. However, the governor did not comment on the alleged tank attack at the Grayvoron checkpoint.
According to Gladkov, two civilians were injured by the shelling of the Glotovo village in the Belgorod region. A man and a woman received mine wounds and were hospitalised: the woman is in intensive care in a grave condition, the man is in a moderate condition.
Gladkov reported earlier that a drone had dropped an explosive device on a village hall in Golovchino overnight.