Moscow confirms: Attacks by armed groups inside Russia

(Patria) - An armed group crossed from Ukraine into Russia's Belgorod region yesterday, and several people were injured in clashes, Russian authorities say, reports the BBC. Local Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Russian forces are searching for "saboteurs" whom he said attacked the Grayvoronsky district near the border.

Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says the Russian president has been informed of the attack. Gladkov said eight people were injured, including two admitted to hospital after shelling of a village and three hit by shrapnel in the town of Grayvoron. Three houses and a local administrative building were also damaged in the fighting, and the situation remains "extremely tense," he said. The governor said a "counter-terrorist operation" has been launched in the region, giving authorities special powers, including identity checks and surveillance of communications.

Ukraine denies responsibility and says Russian citizens are behind the incursion. Kyiv says the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) are behind this incident. The Freedom of Russia Legion, a Russian militia based in Ukraine that says it operates within Russia to overthrow Putin, announced on Twitter on Monday that it had "completely liberated" the border town of Kozinka, adding that its forward units had reached the town of Grayvoron further east.

Peskov told Russian journalists that efforts are underway to eliminate the sabotage group and said its purpose is to divert attention from the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which the Russian mercenary group Wagner claims to have captured.

"We perfectly understand the purpose of such sabotage - to divert attention from the Bakhmut direction, to minimize the political effect of the loss of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) by the Ukrainian side," he said.

Ukrainian President's advisor Mikhaylo Podolyak said his country is following events in Belgorod "with interest," but "has nothing to do with it."

"As you know, tanks are sold in any Russian military store, and underground guerrilla groups consist of Russian citizens," he added.

Ukraine has previously denied responsibility for reported sabotage on Russian territory.