KYIV: Russia’s military said Tuesday it repelled what looked to be one of the most serious cross-border attacks from Ukraine since the start of the war, claiming to have killed over 70 attackers in a battle that continued around 24 hours.
Moscow blamed the raid that began Monday on Ukrainian military saboteurs. On the other hand, Kyiv portrayed the attack as an uprising against the Kremlin by Russian partisans. It was immediately impossible to reconcile the two versions, to say with certainty who was behind the attack or to determine its aims.
The battle — which took place about 80 kilometers north of the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine southwest Russia’s Belgorod region was a fresh reminder of how Russia itself remains vulnerable to attack, in addition to Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.
The region is a Russian military hub holding fuel and ammunition depots and was included in President Vladimir Putin’s order in 2022 to improve defences and enhance the state of readiness for attacks. Such cross-border attacks embarrass the Kremlin and highlight the struggles it faces in its bogged-down Ukranian invasion.
The Belgorod region, like the neighboring Bryansk region and other border areas, has witnessed sporadic spillover from the war, which Russia started against Ukraine in February 2022. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed local troops, artillery and air strikes routed the armed attackers.
“The remnants of the nationalists were driven back to the territory of Ukraine, where they continued to be hit by fire until they were completely eliminated,” Konashenkov said, without providing evidence in this regard. He did not mention any Russian casualties.
Since the war began, explosions, drones and missiles have hit fuel and ammunition depots, railroad equipment, bridges and air bases on Russian territory and Russia-occupied areas of Ukraine.
Ukraine said Russian citizens belonging to murky groups called the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion were behind the assault. Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said the attackers were Russian dissidents unhappy about Putin’s policies. Ukrainian military leaders say the fight in Bakhmut isn’t over.
