The United States has explicitly denied any association with an incursion into Russia that resulted in armed insurgents allegedly entering from Ukraine and being defeated by Moscow. The attack, which took place in the border region of Belgorod on Monday, marked one of the largest cross-border raids since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
Russia released images of abandoned or damaged military vehicles of Western origin, including Humvees produced in the US. However, the US government stressed that it did not endorse or support any strikes within Russian territory and expressed skepticism regarding the authenticity of reports suggesting the use of US-supplied weapons.
During a news briefing, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller acknowledged the circulating reports but emphasized that it was Ukraine’s prerogative to determine the course of action in the ongoing conflict. The veracity of the images released by Russia has not been independently verified.
The attack prompted the evacuation of villages near the Belgorod border, and Russia claimed that 70 attackers, allegedly Ukrainian fighters, were killed. However, Kyiv denies any involvement, while two Russian paramilitary groups opposed to President Vladimir Putin’s regime claimed responsibility for the incursion.
The raid led to Moscow declaring a counter-terrorism operation, granting authorities enhanced powers to restrict communication and movement. These measures were lifted the following day, but one paramilitary group asserted control over a small portion of Russian territory.
Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported one civilian fatality and several injuries resulting from the violence. He also stated that the region had experienced a significant number of drone attacks overnight, causing damage to vehicles, residences, offices, and a gas pipeline.
While the conflicting claims have not been independently confirmed, it has been verified that a building utilized by Russia’s main security agency, the FSB, was among the targets during the violence. The cause of the damage remains unclear.
Russia’s defense ministry attributed the incursion to a “unit of a Ukrainian nationalist formation” invading Russian territory. The ministry presented a photo of a wrecked vehicle bearing the words “for Bakhmut,” referencing the Ukrainian city that Russia claims to have recently captured, though Kyiv disputes this claim.
Ukrainian officials, however, assert that the attackers were Russians from the Liberty of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) paramilitary groups. Social media posts from both groups corroborated their involvement and stated their intention to establish a demilitarized zone on the Russian border, preventing shelling from Ukraine.
The cross-border incursion presents mixed implications for Kyiv, potentially embarrassing Moscow while offsetting negative perceptions of Ukraine’s reported loss of control over Bakhmut. However, Nato leaders are concerned about assaults on Russian soil, making the situation delicate for Ukraine.
The incident could be part of Ukraine’s shaping operations preceding an anticipated counter-offensive, diverting Russian troops from the south where Kyiv intends to launch an attack. Nevertheless, the involvement of long-range weapons provided to Ukraine by Western countries is concerning, as these weapons are intended for defensive purposes and not for targeting Russia.
Despite Kyiv’s official denial, it is difficult to believe that the raid was carried out without assistance from Ukrainian military intelligence. These events play into the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia’s security is under threat from malign forces supported by the West, reinforcing Moscow’s claim of combating neo-Nazis in Ukraine.
