‘Partisans’ storm Belgorod with US vehicles

Ukraine has denied any involvement in attack and blames border raid on anti-kremlin saboteurs

TWO anti-kremlin groups used Usmade tactical vehicles to storm a Russian border region, according to reports.

Ukraine denied involvement in the raid into Belgorod, attributing it to local Russian “partisans”. The groups who claimed responsibility did not comment on reports they had withdrawn, but one of them said in a statement: “One day we will return.”

The Russian Volunteer Corps and the Free Russia Legion, two units of Russian nationals fighting on Ukraine’s side, released footage of their fighters in and around the village of Graivorona, about three miles inside Russia, on Monday. The Legion said on Telegram: “The Russian army could do nothing to oppose a group of patriotic volunteers who took up arms and were not afraid to openly go against the Moscow regime for the free future of Russia. There is panic in the Belgorod region.”

Russian Volunteer Corps leader, Denis Nikitin said his fighters used Usmade Humvees and M1224 Maxxpro armoured vehicles during the attack.

The US state department said it was “sceptical” about reports that Us-supplied weapons were used, adding that it does not encourage or enable attacks on Russian territory. Mr Nikitin did not explain how he obtained the vehicles.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod region, yesterday declared an “anti-terrorist” regime and said that security forces were still trying to clear 10 settlements that were evacuated when fighting broke out.

Russia’s ministry of defence said in a statement yesterday that the attackers had been repulsed by “air strikes, artillery fire and active action by border units”.

It said over 70 Ukrainian fighters had been killed, and four armoured vehicles and five pick-up trucks destroyed.

It added: “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 claim could not be independently confirmed. Mr Gladkov cancelled the counterterrorist regime later that evening.

He denied reports by Russian military bloggers that Ukrainian forces attempted a second incursion near the village of Schetinovka, 25 miles further east, on Tuesday.

Russia and Ukraine regularly shell each other and conduct covert raids across the frontier, but this was the first lasting more than a day since the war began.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said the raid was “cause for deep concern and once again confirms that Ukrainian militants continue their activities against our country.”

“This requires more effort from us and these efforts continue, the special military operation is continuing, so that this does not happen again,” he added.

The British Defense Ministry said Russian security forces “highly likely” clashed with partisans in at least three locations within Belgorod.

It reported yesterday: “Russia is facing an increasingly serious multidomain security threat in its border regions, and now direct partisan action.”