Belgorod Governor Says Ukrainian Sabotage Group Raided Settlements In His Region

Russia said that it was repelling an attack by "Ukrainian sabotage groups" which crossed the border into the Belgorod Region after shelling the area in preparation for the subsequent incursion. The Kremlin and regional administration said that the military forces, national guard, border guards, and the FSB were working to "destroy" the group.

• Ukrainian news outlet Hromadske reported that the operation is being conducted by Russian volunteers, citing information from Ukrainian military intelligence. A representative for the Defence Ministry told the outlet that anti-Putin groups "Liberty of Russia Legion" and "Russian Volunteer Corps" are responsible for the attack.
• Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the authorities are fighting the attackers in the Grayvoronsky District. It is worth noting that the village of Golovchino in the Grayvoronsky District houses a Russian national-level nuclear warhead storage facility (Object 1150).
• The Kremlin said that Ukraine was trying to divert attention from the alleged capture of the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, which has been a stage of a protracted battle over the past few months. If that is the case, the operation has been successful in stealing the limelight in the Russian media sphere.