Ukrainian incursion into Russian border region thwarted – officials
Russian law enforcement agencies in Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine, have foiled an attempted incursion by a Ukrainian saboteur group, local officials have said.
In a statement on Thursday, a local response center denied reports that the saboteurs had infiltrated into Russia near the settlements of Staroselye and Terebreno, both of which are located in the western part of the region several kilometers from the border.
“There was no entry. Border guards, along with other security forces, engaged in fighting on the demarcation line,” officials said.
The response center also recalled that there have been no civilians in Staroselye since last October when they were evacuated from the area. However, it denied claims that residents had been evacuated from Terebreno, which is further from the border.
Officials added that the Ukrainian forces had also shelled settlements in the border district of Krasnoyaruzhsky, noting that the extent of the damage was being assessed.
While the center did not provide further details about the attack, the Russian Telegram channel Shot reported that the Ukrainian force had consisted of eight people, who were carrying small arms, US-made grenades, and explosives. According to preliminary data, the unit had split into two groups of four men each and attempted to infiltrate the region from different sides, Shot noted.
“All members of the sabotage reconnaissance group were ‘moved back’ deep into Ukrainian territory. During the retreat, some of them were blown up on a minefield,” the outlet said, adding that there were no casualties among the Russian military.
Belgorod Region, along with other areas bordering Ukraine, has come under intense Ukrainian drone and artillery attacks in recent months, which have claimed numerous civilian lives and caused significant damage.
Ukrainian forces have made numerous other attempts to infiltrate Russian territory. Some of these incursions have been staged by the Russian Volunteer Corps, which is composed of neo-Nazi militants and collaborationists fighting for Ukraine, and the Freedom of Russia Legion, another group consisting of Russian defectors.
