Pro-Ukraine fighters attack southern Russia

Nepal Views

Kathmandu: Fighting is ongoing in southern Russia after armed groups launched more cross-border attacks from Ukraine with Moscow saying it targeted the ‘terrorists’ with artillery fire.

The governor of the besieged Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Sunday that clashes again erupted on his side of the border, and acknowledged for the first time that pro-Ukrainian forces had taken Russian prisoners of war during incursions.

Gladkov said he was ready for talks to retrieve ‘our guys’ and told the armed groups he would meet them for the exchange.

Ukraine has intensively shelled Russian settlements on the border recently, forcing thousands to flee to the regional hub of Belgorod. Russia’s military later claimed it repelled a ‘sabotage group of Ukrainian terrorists’ seeking to cross the frontier near the settlement.

Gladkov earlier asked residents of the Shebekino border district to leave their homes because of the shelling.

Meanwhile, Russia’s defence ministry says it has thwarted a major Ukrainian offensive and killed 250 Ukrainian troops.

The ministry said Ukraine had launched the offensive in the Donetsk region on Sunday using six mechanised and two tank battalions. There has been no comment from Kyiv and the Russian claim has not been independently verified.