At least two civilians died and several others, including children, were injured in Russia’s Kursk Region on Tuesday when Kiev’s troops launched an unsuccessful cross-border incursion, according to local officials.
A woman was killed in the town of Sudzha and a bus driver died in a drone strike elsewhere in the region, acting Governor Aleksey Smirnov stated. Another eight residents of Sudzha, including four children, were injured, according to the official. Five civilians were wounded in other parts of the region, close to the border, he added.
The Russian army helped border guards to fend off the “armed provocation,” the Federal Security Service (FSB), which is responsible for patrolling the border, said in a statement.
Ukrainian forces allegedly used artillery, drones and tanks in the attempted incursion, which was launched early in the morning, according to unconfirmed media reports. The attackers reportedly lost at least 20 fighters in the offensive, while being repelled by Russian troops.
Ukrainian fire also caused damage to buildings. Videos purportedly filmed by Sudzha residents showed rubble-littered streets and wrecked vehicles.
Some outlets have claimed that regular Ukrainian troops were bolstered by members of the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), a right-wing extremist militia force, which purports to be manned by Russian nationals and has the backing of Ukrainian military intelligence.
The RDK, which is considered a terrorist organization in Russia, played a key role in a series of attempted cross-border raids launched by Kiev in March ahead of the Russian presidential election.