15-3-2024 (MOSCOW) Russian forces successfully foiled a Ukrainian attempt to launch a cross-border attack on Russia’s Belgorod region, according to an announcement made by the Russian defense ministry on Friday (Mar 15). The ministry revealed that Ukrainian helicopters had transported around 30 soldiers near the border village of Kozinka, but they were swiftly repelled by Russian soldiers and border guards.
Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian officials had claimed that anti-Kremlin Russian armed groups based in Ukraine were conducting attacks on two Russian border provinces, namely Belgorod and the neighboring Kursk region. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, reported via the Telegram messaging app that two individuals had been killed and significant damage had been inflicted upon the village of Kozinka.
Meanwhile, Russia commenced its three-day presidential election on Friday, with President Vladimir Putin widely expected to secure another six-year term in office.
The Belgorod region, located on the frontier between Russia and Ukraine, has been subjected to frequent attacks from Ukraine since 2022. In 2023, there were a series of incursions by Kyiv’s forces, including a brief occupation of an area near the border, including the village of Kozinka, in May of that year.
