Russia says repels Ukrainian incursion attempt

Russia said Monday that it had repelled an “illegal” Ukrainian attempt to infiltrate Russian territory in the southern border region of Bryansk, 11 days after reporting a similar incident.

“The intruder stepped on a mined protection line, which Russian armed forces created to prevent infiltrations of Russian territory and to ensure the security of residents in border areas,” said regional governor Alexander Bogomaz on Telegram.

The governor condemned the “illegal attempt” from Ukraine to “cross” the border.

Russian authorities have reported various attempted incursions by “saboteurs” from Ukraine in border areas that are also regularly tarted by artillery or drone strikes.

On April 6, Bogomaz said Russian security forces foiled an attempt by a group of 20 Ukrainian “saboteurs” who tried to cross the Russian border near the village of Sluchovsk in Bryansk.

On April 5, President Vladimir Putin urged officials to act in a “tough and effective manner” in Russia and Russian-held regions of Ukraine, where several pro-Russian officials have been killed in recent months.

Ukraine does not officially acknowledge sabotage operations on Russian territory.

Kyiv denied any involvement in an attack on a key bridge linking mainland Russia to the Moscow-annexed Crimea peninsula, which was damaged in an explosion last October and which Moscow blamed on Ukraine.

In early March, hundreds of mourners — many in camouflage and covering their faces — attended the funeral in Kyiv of four volunteers killed during an incursion into Bryansk in December.