Russian military forces have successfully repelled attempts by Ukrainian armed groups to infiltrate the border areas of the Belgorod and Kursk regions, with the support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Over the course of a week, Ukrainian militants made numerous attempts to breach the border regions, resulting in significant losses for the UAF. The Ministry of Defense revealed that during this period, the UAF lost over 3,000 fighters, seven tanks, as well as 15 units of various armored vehicles and 17 vehicles.
On March 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB), stated that all attempts by UAF diversionary units to cross the Russian border had been repelled.
Prior to this, Putin had mentioned that the diversionary reconnaissance groups intended to carry out a terrorist raid on towns and villages in the Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia, but suffered losses.
Earlier, Putin referred to the pro-Ukrainian saboteurs as “scum” and promised to punish them without any statute of limitations.
Contextual Information:
It is important to note that the Russian government has accused Ukraine of supporting and facilitating the activities of armed groups in the border regions. This ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in significant tension between the two countries. The Russian government, under President Putin, has been criticized by the international community for its annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government, on the other hand, receives support from the United States and NATO, with tensions between Russia and NATO member states remaining high. These border skirmishes and attempts at infiltration highlight the ongoing tensions and potential for further escalation in the region.
