According to recent reports, Russia's defence ministry has claimed that it successfully repelled three cross-border attacks near Shebekino, a town in the Belgorod region. The region has been under intensified fire since May and has been targeted in a number of attacks.
The Russian defence ministry accused Ukraine of using "terrorist formations" and reported that up to 70 militants, five tanks, four armoured vehicles, seven pick-up trucks, and a Kamaz truck were involved in the attack. The Russian military used air force and artillery to repel the attacks and claimed to have killed more than 50 Ukrainian fighters.
However, the situation is complicated by the involvement of anti-Kremlin groups, such as the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) and the Freedom of Russia Legion. The RVC, a far-right paramilitary group of ethnic Russians that supports Ukraine, claimed to be fighting inside Russia.
The Freedom of Russia Legion also announced a plan to launch a cross-border raid. Last week, the Belgorod region saw an unprecedented two-day armed incursion, and in the past few days, the area has come under intensified fire.
Ukraine denies that its military is involved in the incursions and claims that they are conducted by Russian volunteer fighters. The Belgorod region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, accused Ukrainian armed forces of repeatedly shelling Shebekino with Soviet-designed grad 122mm rockets, setting alight a dormitory, and damaging an administrative building. Gladkov reported that at least 12 people had been wounded in the previous 24 hours.
Residents of Shebekino have been forced to flee to centres for displaced people in Belgorod city. The mayor of Belgorod city, Valentin Demidov, has promised to provide displaced families with children, including infants and disabled people, with as much care as possible. However, the situation remains tense, with two people wounded in the city when a drone crashed near a petrol station.
It is not possible to independently verify accounts from either side, but it is clear that the situation in the Belgorod region is extremely volatile. Last month's cross-border raid was one of the most serious attacks on Russian territory since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The involvement of anti-Kremlin groups adds a layer of complexity to the conflict, making it difficult to predict how the situation will unfold.
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