Ukrainian Militias Reportedly Crossed Into Russian Border Regions Amid Recent Offensive

Pro-Ukrainian Volunteer Groups Stage Attacks in Russian Territory

Anti-Putin Russian Volunteer Militias Act Independently, Say Ukraine’s Military Intelligence

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has stated that the anti-Putin Russian volunteer militias involved in the recent attacks in Russian border areas are not acting under the orders of the Ukrainian government.

Claims of Cross-Border Attacks During Ukraine’s Drone and Missile Offensive

Pro-Ukrainian militias, consisting of pro-Kyiv Russian volunteer fighters who oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced on Tuesday that they had breached the Kursk and Belgorod regions, launching attacks. These alleged raids occurred during Ukraine’s largest drone and missile offensive since its invasion of Russia in February 2022.

This recent Ukrainian offensive resulted in the ignition of two oil refineries in Russia, according to reports.

Ilya Ponomarev, a former member of the Russian Duma and now the acting political head of the Freedom of Russia Legion, claimed on Telegram that the attacks were carried out by his group in a “joint operation” with the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Siberian Battalion.

The Legion, which reported ongoing clashes with Russian forces, released a drone video footage allegedly showing a vehicle being destroyed and fighters engaging in conflict on the streets of the village of Tyotkino, located on the border between Russia and Ukraine.

However, Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed that its forces had successfully thwarted the last attack at 8:25am (05:25 GMT). The ministry indicated that multiple attacks by “Ukrainian terrorist groups” were repelled after the “intensive shelling” of civilian sites, adding that enemy forces were hit by aircraft, rockets, and artillery.

Statements and Response

Kursk Governor Roman Starovoyt confirmed a shootout had taken place within his region, but stressed that a full-scale incursion had been thwarted. As a precautionary measure, schools in the city of Kursk have transitioned to online classes, according to the TASS news agency.

Another pro-Kyiv paramilitary group, the Russian Volunteer Corps, released night-vision video footage on Tuesday appearing to show their troops engaged in a firefight.

Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence, stated that the Russian volunteer groups were not acting under Kyiv’s orders. However, Yusov mentioned that these attacks demonstrated that “the Kremlin is once again not in control of the situation in Russia.”

Major Oil Refinery Damaged

Simultaneously, as Kyiv launched one of its most significant drone attacks on Russia since the onset of the two-year war, a cross-border attack allegedly took place.

Moscow claimed to have shot down 25 Ukrainian drones in regions including Moscow, Leningrad, Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk, Tula, and Oryol. The Russian defense ministry reported a continuous series of drone attacks throughout the day.

Officials in Russia revealed that energy facilities, including Lukoil’s NORSI refinery, had been targeted, resulting in a fire. Governor Gleb Nikitin of the Nizhny Novgorod region posted a photo of a fire truck near the NORSI refinery, expressing that emergency services are actively working to extinguish the blaze.

According to industry sources who wished to remain anonymous, the main crude distillation unit (AVT-6) at NORSI suffered damage during the attack. This suggests that at least half of the refinery’s production has been halted, although Lukoil has declined to comment.