Russian governor claims ‘Ukrainian sabotage group’ entered Belgorod region

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region on Monday claimed that a "Ukrainian sabotage group” entered the region in the Grayvoron district.

“A sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine entered the territory of the Grayvoron district,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.

The Russian Armed Forces, together with the country’s border service, the national guard and the special service, are taking the necessary measures to “eliminate” the group, he further said.

Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed of the situation, claiming that Ukraine was trying to divert attention from developments in Bakhmut.

"We understand perfectly well that the goal of such subversive activities is to divert attention from the Bakhmut area and reduce the political impact of Ukraine’s loss of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut)," Peskov said.

Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukraine’s presidential adviser, said on Twitter that Ukraine is "watching the events in Belgorod with interest and studying the situation," but that Kyiv is not involved in the situation in the region.

"As you know, tanks are sold at any Russian military store, and underground guerrilla groups are composed of Russian citizens," Podolyak wrote.

On Saturday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, as well as the Russian Defense Ministry, claimed their forces took complete control of Bakhmut, a transport and logistics hub in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied that Russian forces captured Bakhmut during a press conference following the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima a day later.