Prisoners, evacuated civilians, bombardments… What is happening in the Russian region of Belgorod, on the border with Ukraine?

The confusion is total in the Russian region of Belgorod, and more precisely on the border with Ukraine. For several days, Russian fighters favorable to the Ukrainian camp have claimed an armed raid in several localities, after crossing the border. These two groups, the Russian Freedom Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), had already made a remarkable incursion into the region at the end of May, a hundred kilometers further west. They claim, this time, to receive logistical assistance from a group of Polish volunteers, whose missions are however confined to Ukrainian territory.

>> War in Ukraine: who are the fighters claiming an armed incursion into the Russian region of Belgorod?

The Russian army had first assured, Thursday, to have thwarted three attacks on its border, by mobilizing its aviation and its artillery to eliminate “more than 50 terrorists”. The militiamen had for their part certified that they had succeeded in entering Chebekino, a town of 40,000 inhabitants, but the videos published do not confirm this version. Russian forces seem “having been more successful in containing the raid than the previous incursion in May”had underlined for its part the British intelligence.

Three days later, things seem to have changed. The regional governor of Belgorod, Viacheslav Gladkov, this time confirmed that “fights” were underway in Novaya Tavoljanka, the first village after the border. And the Russian army said they pushed back “two terrorist groups” trying to cross a river to access the outskirts of the village.

The situation remains uncertain in the sector. On Monday, the RDK twice published undated images, allegedly shot in Novaya Tavoljanka. Russia’s Freedom Legion released footage of a suspected strike near the Chebekino border crossing. In total, the group claims, two tanks and two armored vehicles were destroyed. The militiamen also claim to have killed a Russian army soldier during a “shooting” during this foray. “All the terrorists of the Putin regime will be punished”comments the Freedom Legion of Russia, distributing an identity document of a man named Andreï V.. At this stage, the information has not been confirmed by the Russian authorities.

Militiamen claim capture of Russian fighters

This is not the first time that pro-kyiv fighters say they have captured Russian soldiers. The Russian Volunteer Corps even offered on Sunday to hand over two prisoners to the regional governor. But on the express condition, however, that he travels in person to Novaya Tavoljanka. Evguéni Prigojine, leader of the Wagner group, immediately declared that he was ready to send an emissary, if the Russian authorities remained immobile. A few hours later, Viacheslav Gladkov finally replied on Telegram that he accepted the principle of a meeting, but at the Chebekino border post.

The RDK lamented, in a new video, that the outstretched hand was not seized. Several of these prisoners, whose faces franceinfo has blurred, have been identified by Russian media. But no one knows the total number, although the Russian Volunteer Corps says there are. “much more” than on the photograph, and that they were handed over to the Ukrainian authorities.

The Freedom Legion of Russia, for its part, broadcast the video of three men in handcuffs, escorted by fighters wearing the yellow armband of the Ukrainian army. She had also announced her intention to transfer her prisoners to the Ukrainian authorities.

Thousands of refugees flee strikes

The district of Chebekino suffered the first bombardments in October last year. But since May 21, the number of such strikes has increased dramatically. In one week, more than 1,150 apartments and 370 houses were destroyed, according to the head of the Chebekino district, Vladimir Zhdanov, quoted by local media go31.ru. The damage was observed on site by an LCI team and traffic was prohibited throughout the area. Several local testimonies report looting.

In 24 hours, the Ukrainian army fired 611 shells in the area, said Monday the governor of Belgorod, Viacheslav Gladkov. There were no new casualties, but two days earlier two women had been killed in Novaya Tavoljanka and Bezliudovka. The day before, two passengers in a car had died near the town of Chebekino, and two others had been injured in the following vehicle.

Twice Governor Gladkov asked residents to leave the district because of artillery fire. And thehe town of Chebekino is now inexorably empty. Thousands of people have already taken refuge in the three temporary accommodation centers in Belgorod, the regional capital further north. “We left Chebekino because we were bombed so hard that the windows exploded”, says a resident met by AFP. Some of them have already been taken to other regions of Russia, that of Tula for example.

Brussels wants explanations on weapons

Moscow ensures that the situation is under control. But the case is sensitive. Vladimir Putin, reports the Kremlin quoted by the Tass agency, spoke on Thursday with the head of the Chebekino district, Vladimir Zhdanov. The continuation of the fighting has the gift of annoying the Russian ultranationalist fringe to the highest degree. Military bloggers multiply flowery messages to the place of the Russian army. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, for his part, said to himself “worried” of the situation and offered to send units as reinforcements. “We are ready and we are waiting for an order” of the Russian command, he said in a statement.

Officially, for its part, kyiv denies the existence of links with these militias, and the presidential adviser Mykhaïlo Podolyak therefore contented himself with a simple comment. He believes that the situation in the border areas “must be seen as the future of Russia” and that Chebekino symbolizes the end of the so-called “Putin-era stability”.

This raid is also observed with attention in Western capitals, which have always warned Ukraine against crossing the Russian border. The question is all the more sensitive since the anti-Putin militias used armored vehicles delivered by the United States and Poland, as well as Belgian-made FN Scar assault rifles, the American daily revealed on Saturday. washington post. “We ask the Ukrainians to clarify the situation for us”, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told RTBF. The leader commissioned the Defense and intelligence services of his country to find out more and recalled this rule: “Our weapons supplied to Ukraine are for defensive purposes, to [défendre] Ukrainian territory.”