“Russia-Ukraine border tensions escalate with reports of sabotage and fighting in Belgorod region”

Kiev denied any link to the events in the Belgorod region on Russia’s border with Ukraine, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that there was still some resistance in Bakhmut. Earlier, Moscow declared full control of the city after 224 days of fighting.

Ukrainian intelligence service spokesman Andrei Yusov said two regiments known as the Free Russian Corps and the Russian Volunteer Corps were operating in Belgorod to create a so-called safe zone to protect Ukraine civilian.

The spokesman added that, as he said, the so-called unrest will intensify not only in the Belgorod region, but in all Russian lands.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, said eight people were wounded in an attack by a Ukrainian “sabotage” group in the border area, while announcing the launch of what he called the legal framework for anti-terror operations in Belgorod .

“A sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Ukrainian army entered the Gregoron region. The Russian Armed Forces, together with the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya) border guards and the Russian Federal Security Service, are taking all necessary measures to eliminate the enemy,” the Belgorod governor said. “

“We are evacuating and most of the population has left the area. We are using our vehicles to help those who don’t have one,” Gladkov said via Telegram. , destroy the enemy”.

A group calling itself the “Russian Free Corps” claimed responsibility for the attack.

On the other hand, earlier on Monday, May 22, a Kremlin spokesman said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed that “sabotage elements” from Ukraine were invading Russian territory.

weapons are coming

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Ukraine after attending the G7 summit in Japan and attending the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia.

“Our fighters will have more weapons,” Zelensky said in a video recorded on a train on Monday. NATO summit, said “we will do our best to ensure that the decision at the top is in our favor.”

According to Zelensky, Ukraine’s foreign policy initiatives are bearing fruit. He added, “Every time Ukraine has more results: more air defense, artillery, armor technology, ammunition and training.”

Meanwhile, Zelensky also praised Ukraine’s air defenses, which he said shot down all 25 of the Russian drones.

However, Ukraine did not manage to shoot down all of the Russian missiles. Therefore, Kiev will continue to improve its air defense system.

Zelenskiy called for support for what he called Ukraine’s defense struggle at the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia and later at the G7 summit in Japan, during which he received an in-principle promise from the United States to deliver F-16 fighter jets.

Notably, during the G7 summit in Japan, the United States gave the green light to begin training Ukrainian pilots using American F-16 fighter jets, something Kiev has long asked its allies to do.

Ukraine has been asking its allies to send in modern fighter jets, notably American F-16s, to replace its aging fleet of Soviet MiGs and Sukhois.

Bachmut

While the president did not provide further details, Zelensky said fighting continued in the disputed city of Bakhmut in the east of the country after Russia declared its military had taken control of the entire city after months of fighting.

“Our troops control something in Bakhmut,” Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said in a Telegram message earlier on Monday, adding that Russian troops were searching for Ukrainian soldiers in the captured area. Fighting is still going on around the hills to the north and south of the city.

Malial noted that the Russian army mobilized more reserves. “Defending Bahmut is fulfilling its military mission,” she stressed, adding that Moscow’s troops had suffered huge losses and their offensive potential had been curtailed.

The Bakhmut region of Donetsk has been the scene of months of clashes. Earlier this week, Moscow declared full control of the battered city of 70,000. Zelensky was quick to dispute Russia’s claims.

Taking control of Bahmut would mark Moscow’s first major victory in its more than 10-month-long struggle to capture the city.