Pro-Ukraine fighters attack southern Russia; offer to trade POWs

Fighting is ongoing in southern Russia after armed groups launched more cross-border attacks from Ukraine with Moscow saying it targeted the “terrorists” with artillery fire.

The governor of the besieged Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Sunday that clashes again erupted on his side of the border, and acknowledged for the first time that pro-Ukrainian forces had taken Russian prisoners of war during incursions.
‘Sent to the slaughter’
Fighting around Novaya Tavolzhanka follows last month’s dramatic armed incursion from Ukraine that forced Russia’s military to use artillery and air strikes on home soil. The border breach was claimed by anti-Kremlin nationalists.Earlier, the armed groups published a video addressing the governor. It claimed to show “prisoners” their captors called “simple soldiers sent by your leadership to this war”.

The one minute and 26 second clip showed what appeared to be about a dozen Russian soldiers being held captive, with two lying on hospital beds. A man identifying himself as the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps said he would hand over the soldiers in exchange for a meeting with Governor Gladkov.

He described the captives as “ordinary soldiers whom you and your political leadership sent to the slaughter”, said a statement posted with the video.

Hours later, Gladkov appeared in a video message in which he agreed to meet the group if the soldiers were still alive.

“Most likely they killed them, as hard as it is for me to say. But if they are alive, from 5-6pm – Shebekino checkpoint. I guarantee safety,” Gladkov said.The fighter in the video said Gladkov did not turn up at the designated meeting place. “We have already decided the fate of these guys. They will be transferred to the Ukrainian side for the exchange procedure,” he said.Fighting is ongoing in southern Russia after armed groups launched more cross-border attacks from Ukraine with Moscow saying it targeted the “terrorists” with artillery fire.

The governor of the besieged Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Sunday that clashes again erupted on his side of the border, and acknowledged for the first time that pro-Ukrainian forces had taken Russian prisoners of war during incursions.He said he was ready for talks to retrieve “our guys” and told the armed groups he would meet them for the exchange.

“A sabotage group came in. There is combat in [the] Novaya Tavolzhanka [border village],” Gladkov said. “I hope they will all be destroyed.”

The pro-Kyiv Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion called on the Belgorod governor to meet and retrieve captive soldiers.

“The only thing stopping me from negotiating with them is our guys that are in their hands, maybe they are already dead,” said Gladkov.

Russia’s military later claimed it repelled a “sabotage group of Ukrainian terrorists” seeking to cross the frontier near the settlement.

“The enemy was hit by artillery. The enemy scattered and retreated,” it said in a statement.

Gladkov earlier asked residents of the Shebekino border district to leave their homes because of the shelling.‘Sent to the slaughter’
Fighting around Novaya Tavolzhanka follows last month’s dramatic armed incursion from Ukraine that forced Russia’s military to use artillery and air strikes on home soil. The border breach was claimed by anti-Kremlin nationalists.Earlier, the armed groups published a video addressing the governor. It claimed to show “prisoners” their captors called “simple soldiers sent by your leadership to this war”.

The one minute and 26 second clip showed what appeared to be about a dozen Russian soldiers being held captive, with two lying on hospital beds. A man identifying himself as the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps said he would hand over the soldiers in exchange for a meeting with Governor Gladkov.

He described the captives as “ordinary soldiers whom you and your political leadership sent to the slaughter”, said a statement posted with the video.

Hours later, Gladkov appeared in a video message in which he agreed to meet the group if the soldiers were still alive.

“Most likely they killed them, as hard as it is for me to say. But if they are alive, from 5-6pm – Shebekino checkpoint. I guarantee safety,” Gladkov said.