Kremlin claims Russia killed 70 'Ukrainian nationalists'

Kremlin claims their forces killed 70 ‘Ukrainian nationalists’ after two-day incursion inside Russian territory – despite the partisan force posting a video of themselves moving unopposed through the countryside

• Russia said those who attacked border region killed or pushed back into Ukraine
• There was no independent confirmation of deaths nor the fighting having ended

The Kremlin has claimed that Russia had routed and killed ‘Ukrainian nationalists’  after two days of combat – despite the partisan force posting a video of themselves moving unopposed through the countryside. 

The Russian military said on Tuesday it had routed militants – who attacked a Russian border region with armoured vehicles the previous day – and killed 70 of them, with the rest pushed back into Ukraine. There was no independent confirmation of the deaths.

In what appeared to be one of the biggest incursions from Ukraine since the war began 15 months ago, two purported anti-Kremlin armed groups employing Russians based abroad said they were responsible for the attack in Russia’s Belgorod region.

The Russian defence ministry, which blamed the Ukrainian authorities, said its forces had surrounded the enemy fighters and defeated them with ‘air strikes, artillery fire and active action by border units’.

A ministry statement said more than 70 ‘Ukrainian nationalists’ had been killed and four armoured vehicles and five pick-up trucks destroyed.

The Russian military said on Tuesday it had routed militants – who attacked a Russian border region with armoured vehicles the previous day – and killed more than 70 of them (picture shared by Russian state media of the fighters who entered Belgorod region)

Troops of both the fighting groups said they had spent the night in the now ‘liberated’ territories and planned to liberate more areas 

‘The remnants of the nationalists were pushed back to Ukrainian territory, where they continued to be hit by gunfire until they were completely eliminated,’ the ministry added.

The Belgorod regional governor said one civilian had been killed ‘at the hands of the Ukrainian armed forces’.

There was no immediate independent confirmation that the fighting had ended, but the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region said the anti-terrorism measures he introduced after Monday’s attack had been lifted.

One of the two fighting groups – the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) – said on social media: ‘One day we’ll come to stay.’ 

In a later statement, the group denied its forces had been routed. ‘The Russian Volunteer Corps has incurred no losses,’ it said.

In a statement on Telegram, Governor Gladkov (pictured) said the Russian army and security forces were taking measures to repel the incursion as he started a ‘counter terrorism operation’

A second group, the Freedom of Russia Legion, said it had ‘demilitarised’ a Russian motorised rifle company and destroyed armoured vehicles. It said Russian statements about thwarting the incursion described ‘imaginary losses’.

‘…Putin’s forces have not distinguished themselves with any successes in the past day,’ it said in a social media post.

‘…While they cowardly hide in the bushes, we will move forward to our goal — the complete liberation of Russia!’

Troops of both the fighting groups said they had spent the night in the now ‘liberated’ territories and planned to liberate more areas. 

The two-day fighting forced Russia to evacuate towns along the border with northeast Ukraine. Russia has blamed Ukraine for the attack, which Kyiv has denied. The two groups that claimed responsibility describe themselves as Russian armed dissidents.

Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Kyiv’s denial was ‘lies’ and that the attackers deserved to be exterminated ‘like rats’.

Tuesday morning Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the army and other security forces were still mopping up, and had urged residents who had been evacuated not to return yet despite lifting the ‘counter terrorism operation’.

He said an elderly woman had died while being evacuated and three people were being treated for injuries. Later he added, without providing detail, that a civilian had been killed.

The Russian defence ministry, which blamed the Ukrainian authorities, said its forces had surrounded the enemy fighters and defeated them with ‘air strikes, artillery fire and active action by border units’

A ministry statement said more than 70 ‘Ukrainian nationalists’ had been killed and four armoured vehicles and five pick-up trucks destroyed (picture shared by Russian state media of the fighters who entered Belgorod region)

In a video released online (pictured), fighters from the Russian Volunteer Corps said they were in Russia in the early hours of Monday morning

‘The remnants of the nationalists were pushed back to Ukrainian territory, where they continued to be hit by gunfire until they were completely eliminated,’ the ministry added. The Belgorod regional governor said one civilian had been killed ‘at the hands of the Ukrainian armed forces’

The Freedom of Russia Legion is a Ukraine-based Russian militia led by Russian opposition figure Ilya Ponomaryov that says it is working inside Russia to overthrow President Vladimir Putin.

Ponomaryov is wanted in Russia, where the authorities have accused him of spreading false information about the army and designated him a terrorist.

The RVC was founded in August by Ukraine-based Russian nationalist Denis Kapustin, and announced on May 17 that it was joining forces with the Legion.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was conducting its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine in part to ensure that such incidents could not be repeated.

‘This once again confirms that Ukrainian militants are continuing their activities against our country. This requires a great deal of effort from us, and these efforts are continuing.’

Asked about reports that the attackers were ethnic Russians rather than ethnic Ukrainians, Peskov said: ‘They are Ukrainian fighters from Ukraine. There are many ethnic Russians living in Ukraine. But they are still Ukrainian militants.’

Source: Read Full Article