As of: March 23, 2024, 5:10 a.m
By: Natascha Berger
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Press
Split
The conflict between Russia and pro-Ukrainian volunteer troops in Belgorod continues.
While residents are being evacuated, Putin counterattacks and bombs his own villages.
Kozinka – Russia is increasingly feeling the effects of the war that Vladimir Putin started against Ukraine two years ago on its own soil.
Kremlin-critical and pro-Ukrainian volunteer troops increasingly attacked the Russian border regions of Belgorod and Kursk in the days before and during the Russian election.
As children are evacuated from Belgorod, Putin seeks retaliation for partisan attacks.
Apparently Russian attacks have now caused great damage in the village of Kozinka.
Partisans attack the Belgorod region.
Putin retaliates with bombs.
© dpa/AP |
Alexander Zemlianichenko + dpa/Belgorod Region Governor Vyaches/AP
Volunteer troops critical of the Kremlin invade Russia – Putin demands retaliation
The militias “Russian Volunteer Corps”, “Siberian Battalion” and the “Legion of Freedom of Russia” invaded Russian regions from Ukraine in mid-March.
Belgorod is home to several Russian military bases.
The three partisan groups announced in a joint statement that they would open fire on military positions in the area, as innocent people, mostly women and children, die every day in Ukraine from shelling from Belgorod.
They had repeatedly asked civilians in the areas to leave the area.
According to the Russian authorities, several people have been killed and houses and cars destroyed in the attacks.
Putin called Russian nationalists who fight for Ukraine instead of Russia “scum.”
In front of representatives of the FSB secret service, he demanded that the partisans be punished indefinitely, “wherever they may be.”
According to several media reports, the Russian president made good on this threat.
As
Newsweek
reports, the Russian Air Force has bombed its own villages in Belgorod.
Footage shows explosions and dense clouds of smoke.
The Moscow Defense Ministry speaks of “more than 50 saboteurs” who were killed.
Federation Council President Valentina Matviyenko previously announced an “appropriate response” to the partisan attacks and retaliation.
Attack on Russian territory Belgorod: Putin bombs his own villages in the fight against partisans
You can also read about the attacks on their own villages on the Russian Telegram channel “Two Majors”.
They managed to destroy the hideout of the pro-Ukrainian partisans.
“The fight continues,” say Russian military bloggers.
The attacks hit the Russian village of Kozinka particularly hard.
A video on X (formerly Twitter) shows a man driving through the destroyed village while an explosion can be heard and seen in the side mirror.
The “War Translated” project shared the video and wrote that Kozinka in the Belgorod region was no longer habitable.
Due to the increasingly poor supply situation in the region, the authorities have decided to distribute food, according to the Russian state news agency
Tess
.
Residents are still advised to leave for their own safety.
In the regional capital Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov also announced an early start to the holidays for students.
(nbe with material from dpa)