Ukraine-backed sabotage group ‘invades Russia and seizes villages’
Troops entered Russia from Ukraine on Monday, hitting checkpoints on the border with tank fire and pushing eight kilometres past the frontier into three villages.
Ukrainian military intelligence, the GUR, said that the Freedom of Russia Legion, a group of Ukraine-backed Russian partisans, were conducting an operation in the Belgorod region to create a “security strip” to protect Ukrainian civilians. It was being carried out exclusively by Russian citizens, a GUR spokesman told Suspilne, Ukraine’s public broadcaster.
The Legion announced on Telegram that it had “liberated” the village of Kozinka and entered Graivoron with the “Russian Volunteer Corps”, posting pictures of its “free Russia” flag in the areas. Fighting was also reported in Dronovka, about 40km to the north.
“Residents of Russia, we are
