Ukrainian Military Intelligence Says Russian Groups Are Behind Attacks On Bolgorod Region

JAKARTA - Ukraine's military intelligence agency blamed an armed operation in Russia's Belgorod region on Monday on "an opposition-minded Russian citizen" of two paramilitary groups, Ukrainian media Hromadske said.

Citing military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov, Hromadske reported Russia's Freedom of Religion and the Russian Volunteer Corps were responsible for the attack. It is unclear if he provided evidence for the statement.

"The responsibility for this incident was borne by citizens (Russia), especially RDK and thebit 'Russian Freedom'," he said, using an abbreviation from the Russian Volunteer Corps.

"I think we can only welcome firm action from opposition-minded Russian citizens, who are ready for an armed struggle against the criminal regime (President) Vladimir Putin," he continued.

Yusov said Belgorod's operations would create a "security zone" to protect Ukrainians from cross-border Russian attacks.

Earlier, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that a "Sabotage group" of Ukrainian soldiers had entered Russian territory in the Graivoron district, which borders Ukraine.

He said on Monday Ukraine's sabotage group had entered Russian territory in the Graivoron District bordering Ukraine, although later it was successfully pushed back by Russian troops.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been notified of the incident, while work was underway to expel "bobotage", the state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported.

The Kremlin said the attack was aimed at diverting attention from the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which it claimed had been seized by Russian troops as a whole after more than nine months of fierce fighting.

"We fully understand the purpose of such a diversion - to distract from Bakhmut's direction and minimize the political effect of Bakhmut's defeat to Ukraine," Peskov said.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, in a tweet denied his party was linked to the incident.

"Ukraine observed events in Russia's Belgorod region with interest and studied the situation, but had nothing to do with it," he wrote.

"As you know, tanks are sold at any Russian military store, and underground guerrilla groups consist of Russian nationals," he continued.