Moscow says Ukrainian saboteurs in Russia

AFP | Moscow

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Moscow said yesterday its troops were battling a Ukrainian “sabotage” group that infiltrated Russian territory as Ukraine insisted it is still fighting for control of the eastern city of Bakhmut.

The announcement of the incursion came after Kyiv said Russian forces pummelled the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro with missiles and drones overnight.

The Kremlin said that President Vladimir Putin had been informed of the cross-border incursion, adding Moscow believed the attack was designed to “divert attention” from the situation in Bakhmut.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the southern Belgorod region, which has been targeted by attacks since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said troops and members of the security service were fighting a “sabotage” group that crossed over from Ukraine.

Gladkov said that troops and members of the FSB security service were “taking the necessary measures to eliminate the enemy.”

Members of the Freedom of Russia Legion claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a video released by a Telegram channel claiming to represent the group, a camouflaged spokesman, surrounded by armed men in fatigues, said: “Russia will be free!” The group’s Telegram channel said that two villages in the Belgorod region had been attacked.

Kyiv denied involvement. “Ukraine is watching the events in Russia’s Belgorod region with interest and is studying the situation, but has nothing to do with it,” Ukrainian presidential advisor Mikhaylo Podolyak said.

After Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022, the border region of Belgorod has been repeatedly shelled, and dozens of people have been killed.

Authorities have also reported a series of incidents involving members of “sabotage” groups crossing over from Ukraine.

In April, the city of Belgorod was bombed by a Russian fighter jet which dropped ammunition over the city by accident.

‘Fighting continues’

The attack was reported ahead of a widely-expected Ukrainian offensive, though President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country is not yet ready.

Ukraine’s army said earlier yesterday that Russian forces pummelled Dnipro with 16 missiles and 20 attack drones overnight.

The army said its air defence forces had destroyed all the drones and four of the cruise missiles.