Russia

Ukraine-Based Russian Opposition Groups Attempt to Invade Belgorod

MAR 12 2024·Updated MAR 13 2024

Story

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

Three Ukraine-based Russian rebel groups say they've entered Russia's Belgorod and Kursk regions to help fight Russia. The groups are the Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL), the Siberian Battalion (SB), and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK).
BBC News
Referring to them as Ukrainian "sabotage groups" Russian official media reported that border guards stopped multiple attempts to invade Belgorod beginning Mar. 10. Then, at around 3 a.m. Moscow time on Mar. 12, they tried to enter three locations simultaneously — Odnorobovka, Nekhoteyevka, and Spodaryushino.
tass.com
The FRL and SB groups confirmed their involvement on their Telegram accounts, posting that their goal was to "take our land away from the [Putin] regime, centimeter by centimeter." The RDK also appeared to confirm their crossing into Russian territory in its account.
CNBC
While the FRL said it wanted to free Russia "from Putin's dictatorship," the SB condemned Russia's presidential election as "fiction," claiming, "You can really change your life for the better only with weapons in your hands." The groups say they've overtaken two villages.
BBC News
Russia said that throughout the attack on Belgorod, 60 members of the pro-Ukraine groups were killed, with five tanks and an armored personnel vehicle destroyed. It added that one Russian woman and one man were injured during the fighting, as well as damage to buildings and a power line.
tass.com
In Kursk, students were switched to virtual classes due to the paramilitary attacks, with the region's governor confirming that it had been hit by Ukrainian drones overnight and the border village of Tettkino was bombed later on.
CNBC

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The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

Not only have these freedom fighters bravely entered Russian territory, but they've also taken control of multiple border towns, including Tettkino and Lozovaya Rudka. This attack has been more than successful, forcing Putin's forces to flee and leave behind heavy military equipment.

Ukrinform

Pro-Russia narrative

These were not rogue Russian opposition groups but rather members of the Ukrainian military supported by Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles. Despite this being a fully-stocked military operation, Russian forces were able to deter each and every one of these invasions, taking out dozens of Ukrainian soldiers and their vehicles.

RT International