2023-06-05 00:09:18
In Russia’s border region of Belgorod, fighting has apparently flared up between the army and volunteer groups fighting alongside the Ukrainians. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed fighting in the village of Novaya Tavolshanka on Sunday. In the evening Gladkow reported that a power plant had caught fire during a drone attack. There were no injuries. In the Donetsk region, Russia says it has thwarted a major offensive by Ukraine.
Ukraine opened the offensive on Sunday with six battalions of mechanized infantry and two battalions of tanks, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The statement could not be independently verified.
For some time there have been repeated fights and attacks in the Belgorod region, for which Moscow always blames Kiev. In fact, once again the intruders appear to be members of the so-called “Russian Volunteer Corps,” which is fighting on the side of the Ukrainians but is made up of Russian nationalists.
Several members of the paramilitary organization also released a video on Sunday in which they claimed to have captured several Russian Army soldiers. As a condition for their release, the men demanded a meeting with Governor Gladkow. A little later, he was actually open to a conversation – according to the rebels, however, it ultimately did not take place.
According to Polish media reports, Poles are also involved in the fighting in the region. The online news portals Polsatnews.pl and Wprost.pl reported on Sunday that these were mercenaries who fought under the name “Polish Volunteer Corps” on the side of the Ukrainian army. They referred to the group’s own messages in the Telegram messaging service and a video that is said to show soldiers on their way to Belgorod.
According to information from “Polsat”, the “Polish Volunteer Corps” was founded in February. Initially, it fought as an independent unit consisting only of Poles alongside the Ukrainian army. In the meantime, the troops are also acting together with a “Russian Volunteer Corps”. The reports did not reveal how many Poles were said to be involved.
Russia, which launched a war of aggression against neighboring Ukraine more than 15 months ago, has complained of increasing shelling of its own territory in recent weeks. However, the number of casualties and damage are disproportionate to the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, where thousands of civilians have been killed since the Russian invasion began.
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