The Russian Defense Ministry reported today that the Russian armed forces, jointly with units of the Border Guard Service and Federal Security Service, repelled a cross-border Ukrainian incursion into the Belgorod region. “At around 3:00 a.m. Moscow time, after intense shelling of civilian facilities in Belgorod region, Ukrainian terrorist groups with up to two motorised infantry companies reinforced with tanks attempted to invade Russian territory near Novaya Tavolzhanka and the Shebekino international road checkpoint,” the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel. “Three attacks by Ukrainian terrorist formations were repelled by the selfless actions of Russian servicemen. Helicopters of the Western Military District carried out eleven strikes on the enemy. Rocket and artillery forces carried out 77 firing missions, and two heavy flamethrowers launched two strikes. As a result of active operations by the border troops of the Western Military District and the Russian Federal Security Service, the terrorist units of the Kiev regime, which suffered significant losses, were driven back.”
Prior to today’s attack, Shebekino had been subjected to what Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described as “non-stop” shelling, during which eight civilians were wounded. He said that on Tuesday more than 200 projectiles hit Shebekino and nearby areas, killing one civilian and wounding several others.
“We are concerned about this situation, the shelling of civilian facilities continues there,” Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at the Kremlin yesterday. “The situation there is quite alarming, measures are being taken,” he added. “By the way, we haven’t heard a word of condemnation from any of the countries of the collective West,” he added.
Meanwhile, DPR security forces told TASS that three civilians died in the Kalininsky district of Donetsk, yesterday, as the result of Ukrainian shelling. “Three casualties so far. They died before the ambulance could get to them,” the source said.
Acting Head of the DPR Denis Pushilin said that Ukrainian forces can now reach any part of the DPR with the long range missiles that it has been provided with. “Almost all DPR territory is under shelling. We see that the West crosses the red line by supplying the weapons to the Kiev regime. And we see that these missiles [Pushilin is clearly referring to the UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles–ed.], taking into consideration their range, can reach absolutely anywhere (any part of the DPR). However, we still continue to work, counting on our armed forces, on the work of air defense systems,” Pushilin told reporters. This morning, DPR military authorities reported 38 shelling attacks over the previous day, involving 228 rockets and shells of varying calibers.
