Russia says Ukrainian troops attacked Russian positions in Kursk region

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Tuesday said that the Ukrainian army attacked Russian positions in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine.

In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that up to 300 Ukrainian troops supported by 11 tanks and 20 armored vehicles are attacking Russian positions at Nikolayevo-Darino and Oleshnya settlements in the Kursk region.

Russian border guards together with the Federal Security Service forces are repelling the attacks and counterattacking the Ukrainian reserves based in Ukraine's Sumy region, adjacent to the Kursk region.

The ministry said the battle has been ongoing since 08.00 a.m. Moscow time (0500GMT).

Russian warplanes hit soldiers and equipment of the Ukrainian troops in the settlements of Basovka, Juravka, Hoten, Yunakovka, Belovodi, and Hrapovshchiniy, it said, adding that the air force was "effectively used against enemy armored vehicles."

"As a result of the attacks, 16 military vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces, including six tanks, two infantry vehicles, four armored personnel vehicles, three 'Kozak' armored combat vehicles and a military engineering vehicle, were destroyed," the ministry said.

It said that Russian reinforcements were on the way to the area.