Ukrainian-Backed Russian Forces Plan to Launch More Attacks on Russian Border

The Ukrainian-backed Russian forces that launched an attack in the Russian border region of Belgorod earlier this week plan to do so more often. That says Denis Kapustin, leader of one of the militias, to Reuters news agency. ‘I think you’ll see us again on that side (of the border, red.) will see’, says Kapustin. ‘I cannot reveal those things to come. I can’t even reveal the direction. The border is quite long. There will be another place where it gets hot.’

Kapustin is the head of the extreme right Russian Volunteer Corps. Along with the more moderate Freedom of Russia Legion, which strives for a free Russia, carried out an attack on Russian border villages in Belgorod province on Monday and Tuesday. The threat of more attacks is forcing Russia to better defend its long border with Ukraine, which will likely require it to remove troops from the front in Ukraine.

Russia’s defense ministry said on Tuesday afternoon it had repelled the attack, killing 70 enemy fighters. Kapustin denies those losses. He says that on his side only two were killed and ten wounded. His fighters would also have taken an armored vehicle and anti-drone guns as trophies. Those claims have not been verified.

After the attack, Russian authorities showed images of Western military equipment that would have been used in the attack. But Kapustin denies that. “I know exactly where I got my guns from. Unfortunately not from the Western partners.’ He suggests that Russia may have captured the vehicles in Bachmut and then brought them to the site of the fighting to undermine Western support for Ukraine. Western countries do not want their donated weapons to be used to attack Russian territory.

According to Kapustin, the Ukrainians supported him with information, fuel, food and medical equipment. “And the Ukrainian army, of course, took over our wounded. But anything more than that would complicate things,” says Kapustin. “Every decision we make across the border is our decision. Of course we can ask our Ukrainian comrades and friends to help with the planning.’

Maarten Alberts

Read also: Attack by armed rebels should show that Russia is also vulnerable on its own soil