Anti-Putin Militia Overruns Russian Border Posts, Villages As Moscow Sends Tanks

In an unexpected development, a Russian insurrectionary group calling itself the Freedom of Russia Legion has attacked border posts and towns near the Russian logistics hub of Belgorod. 

Though Ukraine claims not to have inspired or supported this group, it could be a useful diversion as, after initial denials, the Russian military is now sending troops and tanks to the area. JL 

Andrew Roth reports in The Guardian:

The Freedom of Russia Legion, which describes itself as an anti-Kremlin militia seeking to liberate Russia from Vladimir Putin, claimed to have crossed the border and overrun the settlement of Kozinka, while sending units into the town of Grayvoron in Russia’s Belgorod region. Both Russia and Ukrainian officials have confirmed fighting at the border and social media video has shown armored vehicles appearing to overrun a Russian border post near Grayvoron. "Today it’s time for everyone to take responsibility for their future. It’s time to put an end to the Kremlin’s dictatorship.” It is not clear whether the raid is part of a military strategy or meant as a diversion.

Fighting has broken out along the Russian border with Ukraine after self-described Russian partisan forces launched a cross-border raid and claimed to have overrun a border village for the first time in the war.

The Freedom of Russia Legion, which describes itself as an anti-Kremlin militia seeking to liberate Russia from Vladimir Putin, claimed to have crossed the border and overrun the settlement of Kozinka, while sending units into the town of Grayvoron in Russia’s Belgorod region.

Any capture of territory has not been independently confirmed by journalists on the ground. The militia has existed mostly on social media and it is not known to have participated in any major battles during the war.

 

Both Russia and Ukrainian officials have confirmed fighting at the border and social media video has shown armoured vehicles appearing to overrun a Russian border post near Grayvoron.

“We are the same Russians as you,” said a statement put out by the group on social media. “We are distinguished only by the fact that we no longer wanted to justify the actions of criminals in power and took up arms to defend our and your freedom. But today it’s time for everyone to take responsibility for their future. It’s time to put an end to the Kremlin’s dictatorship.”

Other video posted to social media showed a Russian Mi-8 helicopter trailing flares over Kozinka and videos of smoke rising from the settlement with the sounds of emergency sirens clearly audible.

The governor of the Belgorod region confirmed an attack on Monday, writing that “sabotage and reconnaissance group of the armed forces of Ukraine have entered the territory of the Grayvoron district. The armed forces of the Russian Federation, together with the border service, Rosgvardiya and the FSB, are taking the necessary measures to eliminate the enemy.”

Ukraine has disavowed connection to the Russian partisan fighters, saying that they act independently and are not subject to military control.

“Yes, today the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion, which consist of citizens of the Russian Federation, have launched an operation to liberate these territories of the Belgorod region from the so-called Putin regime and push back the enemy in order to create a certain security zone to protect the Ukrainian civilian population,” Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence, told Ukrainian media.

The US and other western powers have supplied weapons to Ukraine with the caveat that they not be used to strike targets inside Russia. Ukraine has denied any connection to past attacks on Russian territory, including strikes that have hit Russian airfields, energy infrastructure, and even the drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month.

It is not clear whether the raid is part of a sustained military strategy or meant as a diversionary strike, as expectations remain that Ukraine is preparing to launch a summer counteroffensive to retake territory occupied by Russia.

But clashes are increasing along the border in the Belgorod and Bryansk regions. Earlier this month, four Russian military aircraft, including two jets and two helicopters, were shot down in one of the worst single-day losses of the war.

In March, the Moscow-born far-right militia leader Denis Nikitin claimed to have led a raid into a town in Bryansk, where his fighters posed with flags before quickly returning to Ukraine.