Russia said on Monday it was working with Vandals invade beyond borders who broke through border from ukrainewhich appeared to be one of the largest attacks of its kind since the war began.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia’s Belgorod region bordering northeast Ukraine, said Russian troops, border guards, presidential guards and FSB security services were taking steps to repel the attack.

No civilians were harmed, nor electronicHe said the evacuation was underway and described reports of the evacuation as “lies”. “Don’t listen to our enemies,” he said.

Earlier, Baza, a Telegram channel linked to Russian security services, posted a video apparently showing a Ukrainian armored vehicle advancing at a border checkpoint. While there have been other reports of cross-border raids, the use of armored vehicles for infiltration appears to be unprecedented since the war began.

Bazar said there were signs of fighting in three settlements along the main road from Ukraine to Russia.

A group calling itself the Russian Free Corps, which claims to be made up of Russians working with the Ukrainian army, said on Twitter that it had “completely liberated” the border town of Kozinka and reached the regional center of Graivoron.

“Go on. Russia will be free!” it read.

Earlier on Monday, it released a video showing five heavily armed fighters: “We are Russians like you. We are people like you,” one of them said to the camera. “It’s time to end the Kremlin dictatorship.”

NBC News could not verify conditions in border towns.

Ukrainian military intelligence blamed the incident on “dissenting Russian citizens” from two paramilitary groups, Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske said.

Hromadske quoted military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov as saying that the Russian Free Corps and the Russian Volunteer Army were responsible for the incursion. It was unclear whether he provided any evidence for that claim.

“Responsibility for these events rests with (Russian) citizens, especially the RDK and the ‘Russian Freedom’ Corps,” he said, using the acronym for the Russian Volunteer Corps.

“I think we can all welcome decisive action by dissenting Russian citizens who are ready to fight (President) Vladimir Putin’s criminal regime with arms.”

Yusov said the Belgorod operation would create a “safe zone” to protect Ukrainians from Russian cross-border attacks.

The incursion came two days after Russia said it had seized the last few blocks of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Moscow’s first substantial gain since last summer in Europe’s bloodiest land battle since World War II, the report said. Sexual victory.

Kiev said its troops were still fighting in the city and it was pushing to encircle Russian forces after gaining ground on the flank.