On 22 May, explosions were heard in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, and later it was reported that Russian volunteers had arrived in the region. The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine told Suspilne that exclusively Russian citizens were conducting an operation on the territory of the Russian Federation to “create a security strip” to protect Ukrainian civilians.
“So, today, the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Legion ‘Freedom for Russia’ (Ukrainian formations consisting of Russian volunteers, – Ed.), consisting of citizens of the Russian Federation, launched an operation to liberate these territories of Belgorod Oblast from the so-called Putin regime and push back the enemy in order to create a certain security strip to protect Ukrainian civilians,” said Andrii Yusov, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intellince’s spokesman.
Russian border crossing point destroyed in Belgorod Oblast by unknown troops
In a video (https://t.co/ZDokOUAbFW) Legion "Freedom for Russia" says it "returns home," it also called on border area residents to stay at home (https://t.co/1guu5byjFw)
????via https://t.co/pjBNymVNqk pic.twitter.com/ubKVmt2HgN— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 22, 2023
Around 14:00, the Freedom for Russia claimed to have liberated the village of Kozinka in Belgorod Oblast and entered the district capital of Grayvoron.
"The Legion and the RDK (Russian Volunteer Corps – Ed) completely liberated Kozinka settlement, Belgorod Oblast. Advance detachments entered Grayvoron. We move on. Russia will be free!" a Telegram post by the Legion Freedom for Russia reads.https://t.co/l22H59KuQx pic.twitter.com/bMDLb0TDlF
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) May 22, 2023
In the morning, Belgorod Oblast governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that several villages in the Grayvoron urban district had been allegedly shelled.
At 14:20, Gladkov confirmed the infiltration:
“A sabotage and reconnaissance group of the [Ukrainian Armed Forces] entered the territory of Grayvoron District. The Russian Armed Forces together with the Border Guard Service, Rosgvardiya, and the FSB are taking the necessary measures to eliminate the enemy. I will provide details,” he wrote.
Tags: Belgorod Oblast