TALLINN, Estonia — Russia alleges that dozens of Ukrainian militants crossed into one in all its border cities in its Belgorod area, hanging targets and forcing an evacuation, earlier than over 70 of the attackers have been killed or pushed again by what the authorities termed a counterterrorism operation.

Ukraine denied any involvement within the skirmishes Monday and Tuesday, as a substitute blaming two Russian teams that declare to be volunteers combating alongside Kyiv’s forces in an rebellion in opposition to the federal government of President Vladimir Putin.

While neither model may very well be independently verified, no matter occurred seems to have despatched Moscow scrambling to reply to probably the most severe border incursions since Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Belgorod Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov mentioned an aged lady died within the chaotic evacuation, and 12 individuals have been wounded within the assault and shelling. As combating there apparently continued Tuesday morning, he urged residents to not return to their properties, and solely in late afternoon declared the operation was over.

A have a look at what’s identified concerning the assault and the murky teams who say they carried it out:

WHO’S CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY?

Two teams - the Freedom of Russia Legion and Russian Volunteer Corps – claimed accountability for the assault and introduced an formidable aim of “liberating” the Belgorod area. Little is thought about them past what they are saying about themselves, and it’s not clear how they're.

The web site of the Freedom of Russia Legion says it was fashioned final spring “out of Russians’ desire to fight against Putin’s armed gang” and is “officially recognized” by Kyiv’s army. “We are fighting in full cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and under the leadership of the Ukrainian command,” the web site says.

The web site mentioned it fought final summer time in “small battle groups,” and now was concerned within the battle for the jap metropolis of Bakhmut.

The Russian Volunteer Corps’ web page within the messaging app Telegram used to say it was a formation inside the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It now describes itself as merely combating on the Ukrainian facet.

In August 2022, an announcement posted there mentioned: “We, Russian volunteers living in Ukraine, decided to take up arms and create a military formation, the Russian Volunteer Corps, in order to together with our Ukrainian comrades defend their homeland which gave us shelter, and then continue the fight against the criminal Putin regime and his henchmen.”

Other posts claimed the group was combating in southeastern Ukraine, or as volunteers serving elsewhere within the nation, together with in Kyiv’s suburbs of Bucha and Irpin.

In March, the Russian Volunteer Corps claimed accountability for an incursion in Russia’s Bryansk area, one other border space. Media stories on the time recognized a few of its members as Russian nationalists.

In a publish Tuesday, the Russian Volunteer Corps described its political beliefs as “right-wing conservative and traditionalist.”

WHAT DOES UKRAINE SAY?

Ukrainian officers have by no means confirmed any ties with both group. The authorities in Kyiv denied involvement on this week’s Belgorod incident, calling it an act by disgruntled Russians.

When they did discuss it, officers have been obscure. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar mentioned “patriots of Russia” and “people who actually rebelled against Putin’s regime” have been behind the assault. Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak blamed “underground guerrilla groups” which might be “composed of Russian citizens.”

In remarks to the information outlet Suspilne, Ukraine intelligence official Andrii Yusov mentioned it was the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion.

Andrii Cherniak, one other intelligence consultant pointed to the truth that the 2 teams claimed accountability. “This is the consequence of aggressive politics of Putin’s regime and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” he informed The Associated Press.

WHAT DOES RUSSIA SAY?

Russia calls it an incursion by saboteurs deployed by Kyiv, with officers and state media utilizing varied epithets starting from “militants” to “terrorists.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the Belgorod assault was a diversion, meant “to draw attention away” from Russia’s victory within the jap Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut, which Moscow claimed to have captured over the weekend after months of bloody combating.

Asked Tuesday about claims that the invaders have been ethnic Russians, Peskov insisted that “these are Ukrainian militants from Ukraine.”

“There are lots of ethnic Russians in Ukraine, but these are still Ukrainian militants,” Peskov mentioned.

Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov mentioned greater than 70 “Ukrainian terrorists” have been killed in Russia’s operation. He additionally referred to the attackers as “nationalists.”

Russian state TV reported the invaders have been from Ukraine’s armed forces. One report alleged the attackers used U.S. army tools regardless of Washington’s assurances its weapons gained’t be used for assaults on Russia.

WHAT’S THE TRUTH?

It’s onerous to know. Analysts and commentators say each Russia and Ukraine would seemingly profit from its personal model of the occasions.

The British Defense Ministry tweeted Tuesday that “Russia will almost certainly use these incidents to support the official narrative that it is the victim in the war.”

Russian state media protection seems to help this notion, with its allegations that U.S. weapons have been used within the assault and the overall tone of some stories that overlaid video from the area with tense, dramatic music.

For Kyiv, it’s helpful “to take up the position of an observer and not admit its involvement,” mentioned Ukrainian army analyst Oleh Zhdanov.

“The fact is that the war is happening on Russian territory, the Kremlin is being clearly indicated that Russians are not the only ones who can employ hybrid (warfare) methods,” Zhdanov informed AP.

The involvement of the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion ought to function indicators that “there are forces inside Russia who can resist Putin’s regime,” he mentioned.

At the identical time, the Belgorod assault “showed Russia’s helplessness,” Zhdanov mentioned.

“Russia turned out to be completely unprepared -– neither its security forces, nor border guards, nor special services were prepared for hostilities on their own turf. The myth that Russia keeps its border locked has been busted,” he added.

Some Russian voices echoed that sentiment. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner personal army contractor, used the incident as one more probability to bash the Russian Defense Ministry for not adequately defending the border.

Alexander Kots, army correspondent with the pro-Kremlin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, additionally raised questions on his Telegram web page.

“What’s with our technical equipment of the border, surveillance systems, motion detection systems?” he requested. “What’s with mining of the potentially dangerous areas? What’s with anti-tank equipment? Why did an enemy armored group breach deep into our territory?”

These are the questions “to which there are no answers,” Kots mentioned. “To be more accurate, there are, but they’re very unpleasant.”

• Karmanau reported from Tallinn and Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

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