Russian officials claimed on May 23, 2023, to have ended a “counterterrorism operation” in Belgorod Oblast, after a cross-border raid by anti-Kremlin Russian volunteer units fighting for Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said.
Russian claims
Russian authorities said they had defeated the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Freedom of Russia Legion (LSR), and the Russian Defence Ministry said border guards had expelled all “saboteurs” from the region.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the operation had ended but asked evacuated residents to wait before returning. Authorities later acknowledged evacuating about 100 civilians from nine border settlements on May 22, after Gladkov had initially denied formal evacuations.
Unclear picture
ISW assessed that Russian forces had “likely pushed the RDK and LSR forces” back at least to Kozinka, and possibly out of Russian territory. It said it was unclear whether the groups had captured any villages. The Freedom of Russia Legion claimed its fighters were still operating in Belgorod Oblast on May 23.
ISW said it had seen no confirmation of Russian claims of further raids across the border from Kharkiv Oblast on May 23 or in Bryansk Oblast on May 22.
“Disproportionate response”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would not convene an emergency Security Council meeting over the raid, which would instead be discussed at a scheduled meeting on May 26. ISW described Moscow’s reaction as “a highly disproportionate response to a very small and localized undertaking,” noting that the raid reportedly involved 13 armoured vehicles.
Kyiv has said the raid was carried out by Russian citizens and denied direct involvement.
Sources
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