The US indicated that it has no connection with the invasion and explosions in Belgorod, which Moscow blames on Ukrainian forces, the BBC writes.
On Monday, the 22nd of May, several attacks took place near the Russian border town of Belgorod, in which Russia blames border violators from Ukraine. Russia has released images of abandoned or damaged Western military vehicles, but the US has insisted it did not encourage or support strikes against Russia.
Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the US State Department, acknowledged that there are reports on social media about the use of US weapons, but said he was skeptical about the veracity of the reports.
He added that how Ukraine uses weapons is up to it.
Several villages in the Belgorod region were evacuated when the shooting began. Russia has reported 70 attackers killed and insists that the attacks were carried out by Ukrainians. Kyiv denies involvement and says the invasion was carried out by two paramilitary groups opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The events of the 22nd of May forced Russia to declare an anti-terrorist operation, which allowed the authorities to restrict communication and the movement of people. After the restrictions were lifted, one of Russia’s paramilitary groups said it still controlled a small area.
The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, stated on the evening of the 23rd of May that
a drone attack took place in Belgorod, and the bomb it dropped damaged a car.
The drone was shot down and there are no new victims.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia has informed that a “unit of Ukrainian nationalists” has invaded its territory. One of the photos shows a damaged vehicle with “About Bakhmut” written on it in Russian. Officials in Kyiv say the attackers were Russians, from the Liberty of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps.
Attacks on Russian territory make nervous not only Moscow but also the leaders of Western countries, which in turn means that this kind of success may not be good for Kyiv either. The attacks are also believed to be part of preparations for a counter-offensive, designed to distract the Russian military from areas where Ukraine intends to launch major strikes.
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