The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported that the situation along the border with Ukraine is “difficult but under control” following a reported Ukrainian attack on Tuesday. This development comes after weeks of heightened alert in the region due to ongoing conflicts along the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Belgorod and other border regions have been on edge since Ukraine launched a significant offensive in the neighboring Kursk region three weeks ago. Ukrainian forces managed to carve out a piece of territory from which Russian troops are still struggling to remove them.
On Tuesday morning, Russian Telegram channels reported an attempted breach of the Belgorod region’s border. In response, Governor Gladkov issued a brief statement on Telegram, stating, “There is information that the enemy is trying to break through the border of the Belgorod region. According to the Russian defense ministry, the situation on the border remains difficult, but under control. Our military is carrying out planned work. Please remain calm and trust only official sources of information.”
The Telegram news channel SHOT reported that Ukrainian forces had attacked a border checkpoint at Nekhoteyevka but were repelled after suffering losses. Meanwhile, Mash, another channel with ties to the security services, claimed that around 500 Ukrainian troops attempted to assault two Russian checkpoints at Nekhoteyevka and Shebekino. However, SHOT reported that no clashes occurred at Shebekino.
The military blog “Operation Z – military correspondents of the Russian Spring,” which has nearly 1.6 million subscribers, stated that there were no major attempts by Ukrainian forces to breach the border. The blog reported clashes with Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups, with Russian artillery actively engaging, but noted that no large-scale breakthroughs had been recorded.
The situation remains tense in the Belgorod region as neighboring areas brace for potential further attacks. Governor Gladkov also mentioned in separate messages that local authorities are preparing to resettle residents from villages near the border and provide them with compensation. He reported shelling and drone attacks on three local settlements overnight, emphasizing that “our situation continues to remain difficult.”
This latest development highlights the ongoing volatility and uncertainty along the Russian-Ukrainian border, as both sides continue to engage in a battle for control over contested territories.