2023 Belgorod Oblast incursions: Difference between revisions

May 2023 Belgorod Oblast incursion
Part of the 2022–2023 Western Russia attacks in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Reported extent of territorial control on 23 May 2023.
Date 22–23 May 2023 (1 day) Location Grayvoronsky District, Belgorod Oblast, Russia 50°29′N 35°40′E Result Inconclusive Pro-Ukrainian forces withdraw from Russian territory
Belligerents
Anti-Putin opposition Ukraine (alleged by Russia, denied by Ukraine)	Russia
Commanders and leaders
Denis Nikitin	Aleksandr Lapin
Units involved
Freedom of Russia Legion Russian Volunteer Corps	Russian Armed Forces Federal Security Service Border Service Police of Russia National Guard
Strength
~80–500 fighters 1+ tank(s) 3+ armoured vehicles	Multiple helicopters
Casualties and losses
Per Russia: 70+ killed 1 unmanned aerial vehicle shot down 4 armoured fighting vehicles destroyed 5 pickup trucks destroyed Per LSR/RVC: 2 killed, 10 wounded 2 wounded	Per RVC: several personnel captured 1 border guard killed 1 armoured personnel vehicle captured
Per Russia: 2 civilians killed 13 civilians wounded About 100 civilians evacuated

On 22 May 2023, armed groups from Ukraine carried out a cross-border raid into Belgorod Oblast, Russia. Two Russian rebel groups allied with and based in Ukraine—the Freedom of Russia Legion (LSR) and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC)—claimed to have taken control of several border settlements, and clashed with Russian government forces. Russian authorities said the attacks were conducted by a Ukrainian "sabotage group", and imposed counter-terrorism measures in the region. It is the largest cross-border attack during the war since the initial beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Background

Main articles: 2022–2023 Western Russia attacks, Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Russo-Ukrainian War

Several attacks in Western Russia, primarily in Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod Oblasts, were reported since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022. Russia accused Ukraine of being responsible for these attacks. According to The Moscow Times, in June 2022, "Ukraine [had] not claimed responsibility for the attacks ... while not formally denying being behind them."

Following an attack against Belgorod in April 2022, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, joked that these events were related to the establishment of a "Belgorod People's Republic". The information warfare also spawned satirical calls to "hold independence referendum in Belgorod region". Calls and text messages from unknown numbers and telegram chats were also sent to residents of the region: “They call us BNR, that is, the Belgorod People's Republic, in their Ukrainian chats. By analogy with the LNR and DNR”, a local resident said in July 2022.

In March 2023, the Russian Volunteer Corps, a Russian nationalist group fighting against the Russian government, claimed responsibility for a brief incursion into neighboring Bryansk Oblast.

Late on 21 May 2023, Belgorod Oblast officials claimed that a quadcopter had dropped explosives on a government building in the village of Golovchino.

Attacks

22 May

2019 aerial view of the border village of Kozinka

On 22 May 2023, footage emerged on Russian Telegram channels showing an apparent military raid on the Russian border checkpoint in the Grayvoronsky District of Belgorod Oblast. Later that day, Belgorod Oblast governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced via Telegram that a "Ukrainian military sabotage and reconnaissance group" had entered the district, saying that Russian forces were "taking the necessary steps to eliminate the enemy". He said there were explosions and drone attacks in the district. The deputy head of Grayvoron's municipal administration and two emergency workers were reportedly wounded in an attack that damaged the town hall.

The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps claimed responsibility for the incursion, announcing that the two groups working together had taken control of the villages of Kozinka, Gora-Podol, and Glotovo and that forward units had reached the district capital of Grayvoron. They claimed to be creating a "demilitarized zone". The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that Kozinka had indeed been captured by the paramilitaries, but that it was unclear if the other settlements were as well.

While the incursion was taking place, the Freedom of Russia Legion posted videos showing the white-blue-white Russian opposition flag being lifted with balloons over the center of Moscow. The Legion uses this flag. The Russian Volunteer Corps posted photos of their fighters in front of road signs for the settlement of Bezlyudovka in Belgorod Oblast, as well as Lyubimovka and Churovichi in neighboring Bryansk Oblast.

On the evening of 22 May, Gladkov announced that counter-terrorism restrictions were being introduced in Belgorod Oblast. This restricts civilian freedom of movement and communications, requires civilians to show proof of identity, and suspends industries that use hazardous materials, among other restrictions. Gladkov also said that the Belgorod regional government officials, together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, was going from house to house in border villages to evacuate civilians, and that "most of the population" had been evacuated.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces began an emergency evacuation of nuclear ammunition stockpiles from the nearby Belgorod-22 facility. The Belgorod-22 site is Military Unit Number 25624 of the 12th Chief Directorate.

23 May

According to video reports, the Federal Security Service (FSB) office in the city of Belgorod was struck in a drone attack, nearly 80 km (50 mi) away from the "combat zone". The BBC was able to establish that an FSB building was hit, but it was unclear what caused the damage. Gladkov stated that one civilian had been killed in the fighting and that a drone had been shot down.

In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have defeated the insurgents and pushed them back to the Ukrainian border. The counter-terrorism restrictions in Belgorod Oblast were lifted that afternoon, though Gladkov called on civilians not to return to border villages yet. The ISW assessed that Russian government forces had likely pushed the anti-government forces back to at least Kozinka, if not over the state border. The Freedom of Russia Legion posted footage showing ongoing fighting.

Later in the day, the RVC posted a photo of themselves supposedly entering Gogolevka, a village in Kursk Oblast. Readovka stated that Russian anti-government forces entered Bogun-Gorodok, in Borisovsky District of Belgorod Oblast.

1 June

On 1 June, the LSR and RVC stated that they had again started raids in Belgorod Oblast. The RVC claimed to have attacked the Interior Ministry in Shebekino. The Russian Defense Ministry stated it had repelled this second incursion, killing another 30 'militants', at the same time Belgorod city was rocked by powerful explosions. Russian authorities stated that there were three separate raids launched at different points of the border in the Shebekinsky District by "Ukrainian terrorists", that each attack had been repelled, and that "Ukrainian" artillery shelling was still ongoing on 1 June.

Aftermath

Russian Volunteer Corps members during a press conference on 24 May

23–24 May incursion

On 24 May, governor Gladkov announced that anti-government forces were no longer in the region. He also said that the following districts had been attacked during the incursion: Borisovsky, Volokonovsky, Grayvoronsky, Krasnoyaruzhsky, Shebekinsky, and Yakovlevsky. He later announced that Russian authorities had created seven territorial defense battalions for the defense of the Belgorod region in the future.

The leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Denis "White Rex" Kapustin, said the group had left Russian territory after 24 hours, and that they were satisfied with the raid at a press conference given on Ukrainian territory.

Casualties and losses

Pro-Ukrainian forces

A damaged Humvee, allegedly abandoned by pro-Ukrainian forces

At a 24 May press conference by the RVC, Kapustin said two RVC fighters were wounded in the 23–24 May incursion. Separately, Caesar, the spokesmen for the Freedom of Russia Legion, said two of its fighters had been killed and 10 wounded.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed to have killed more than 70 of the attacking "nationalists" in the 23–24 May incursion. Ministry offficials stated that the attackers were Ukrainian. Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that four armoured vehicles and five pickup trucks belonging to the attackers were destroyed. The Russian Volunteer Corps said none of its fighters had been killed and that it had not lost equipment, and said that the military camouflage on clothing in a photo distributed by Russian officials did not match those of the RVC.

Russian government sources released footage of what it said were several abandoned Western-made military vehicles that had been used by the pro-Ukrainian sources. Experts questioned the authenticity of the claims about the vehicles, and the extent of their truthfulness is uncertain. According to Radio Liberty, a participant in the raid revealed in an interview that two Humvees did indeed fall into the trenches near the checkpoint, and were abandoned in the location seen in the video.

Russian government forces

A Russian BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier after being captured by the Russian Volunteer Corps

At the 24 May press conference, Kapustin said his soldiers had seized weapons, an armoured personnel carrier, and taken prisoners before leaving Russian territory. They showed off recently-captured equipment, including a Russian BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier. The RVC also posted footage during the raid apparently showing the body of a dead Russian border guard, likely near the Kozinka border checkpoint.

Analysis

Motivation

During the raid, the Freedom of Russia Legion publicly claimed their goal was to create a "demilitarized zone" in Belgorod Oblast to prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine from that territory. Andriy Yusov, the spokesman of Ukraine's Military Intelligency Agency (HUR), speaking on 22 May, agreed that the goal of the militants was to "liberate territories" and create a security corridor to protect Ukrainian civilians.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the attack an attempt by Ukraine "to divert attention" away from the Russian capture of Bakhmut.

Retired United States Army official Mark Hertling said that the attack was part of Ukrainian shaping operations to "keep the Russian military on the back foot" as Ukraine prepared for its highly anticipated counteroffensive.

Ukrainian involvement

Russian officials insisted that the paramilitaries were from "Ukrainian nationalist formations". However, Ukrainian officials denied any direct involvement by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, saying that all fighters were Russian citizens.

The Freedom of Russia Legion has been described as "operating under the umbrella" of Ukraine's International Legion. Russian opposition politician Ilya Ponomarev also claimed the unit to be acting as part of the Ukrainian armed forces. Ukrainian officials said the Freedom of Russia Legion operates as part of Ukraine's "defense and security forces" while it is inside Ukraine, but acts independently if it is outside the country.

Speaking to media, RVC leader Denis Nikitin said that Ukrainian authorities "did encourage" his group, but denied that they provided weapons, equipment, or instructions. He did say that Ukrainian military took in wounded RVC members, but that was the extent of support, saying that "Every decision we make ... beyond the state border is our own decision. Obviously, we can ask our [Ukrainian] comrades, friends for their assistance in planning." He denied reports that his fighters were using weapons provided by Ukraine's Western allies and said Ukraine only provided support with medical supplies, fuel and food.

According to BBC News, it is unlikely that the incursion was made without the help of Ukrainian military intelligence, and may play into Russian propaganda that Russia is under attack by Western-backed forces.

Reactions

Ukraine

Ukrainian officials denied involvement in the incursion. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian government had "nothing to do with" the incursion, calling it a homegrown Russian "resistance movement". Zelenskyy's senior aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that Ukraine was monitoring the situation with interest, but was not involved in the conflict. Andriy Yusov said that the striking force was made up only of Russian citizens.

The "Belgorod People's Republic" flag

Some Ukrainian officials compared the attack to Russia's use of "little green men" during the early stages of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Mykhailo Podolyak ironically said that "tanks are sold at any Russian military store", referencing Russia's previous use of proxy forces in the war against Ukraine.

Ukrainian social media accounts also humorously compared the attackers to the pro-Russian separatists of Donbas. Most notably, Ukrainian sources began circulating a photo showing three soldiers who took part in the raid proclaiming a "Belgorod People's Republic" and holding a flag of the supposed republic. Internet memes about creating such an entity, a satire of the pro-Russian Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, spread on Ukrainian social media following the raid.

Russia

Kremlin spokeman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian president Vladimir Putin was informed about the raid. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Security Council of Russia, blamed the Ukrainian government for the attack and called for the "extermination" of the perpetrators. Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said that the Russian military would respond more harshly to any further incursions.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian milblogger community reacted to the raid "with [...] panic, factionalism, and incoherency", consistent with its previous responses to "significant informational shocks". Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Russian Defense Ministry of incompetence in defending Russia and its borders.

United States

U.S. Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said that while the United States "doesn't enable or encourage attacks outside Ukraine’s borders ... it is Russia that launched this war" and thus "it is up to Ukraine to decide how they want to conduct their military operations". He also acknowledged reports "circulating on social media and elsewhere" that U.S.-supplied weapons were used in the attack, but said the U.S. was skeptical of such reports.

See also

• 2022–2023 rail war in Russia