Russian forces annihilate more than 70 Ukrainian fighters in Belgorod region

A column of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was captured on video before the attack on the Belgorod region. The video appeared on Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring (RusVesna) Telegram channel.

The video shows US-made armoured personnel carriers MRAP International М1224 MaxxPro and Humvee SUVs along the roadside. Soldiers with yellow armbands on their helmets and sleeves are standing next to the vehicles.

The Russian military seized at least one MRAP MaxxPro from the Ukrainian saboteurs. The vehicle was found in the village of Glotovo. According to military correspondents, the saboteurs abandoned the APC as they were retreating.

The US delivered MRAP MaxxPro to Ukraine as part of military assistance package in January 2023. It was then reported that the US would deliver 53 MRAPs and 350 highly mobile multi-purpose wheeled vehicles HMMWV (Humvee).

On May 22, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the US authorities had made it very clear to Kyiv that Washington did not encourage attacks on the Russian territory. Commenting on the attacks on the Belgorod region of Russia, Miller said that it was up to the Ukrainians to decide how they wanted to conduct their military operations.

It is worthy of note that Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, said that Kyiv was allegedly not involved in the attacks on the Russian territory that started on May 22.

Russian forces annihilate 70 fighters

The Russian forces annihilated over 70 Ukrainian fighters in the course of the fighting in the Belgorod region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on May 23. All others were forced out of the Russian territory back to Ukraine.

No official information was provided about the losses of the Russian side. It was only said that eight civilians were hurt and hospitalised.

The Belgorod region authorities introduced a counter-terrorist regime on the territory of the region. The counter-terrorist operation continues. The Russian forces are in the process of cleansing the territory from the Ukrainian saboteurs.

Kremlin concerned about Belgorod attacks

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was very concerned about the events in the Belgorod region.

"This once again confirms that Ukrainian militants continue their activities against our country. This requires great efforts from us,” Peskov said.

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the statements from the Ukrainian side about Kyiv's non-involvement in Belgorod attacks were nothing but lies.

"No matter how much they talk that they have nothing to do with this kind of sabotage attacks, this is all lies, of course, absolute lies,” Medvedev said.

It is not only Ukraine, but also the United States and the EU countries, "the sponsors of the Kyiv regime", as Medvedev put it, that carry responsibility for the attacks.