Putin claims Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory from Kursk Oblast Ukraine denies
Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian soldiers crossed the border of Kursk Oblast into Ukraine, as reported by the Russian propaganda agency RIA Novosti. However, Kyiv asserts that it was only a sabotage and reconnaissance group.
According to Putin, the border crossing was carried out by soldiers from the 810th Russian Marine Brigade — this is the unit fighting against Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast.
The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine says that there is no talk of a large-scale Russian offensive, because there are no groups in Kursk Oblast capable of carrying out such an offensive.
The Defense Forces confirmed to CCD that a sabotage and reconnaissance group tried to enter the territory of Ukraine, but it was destroyed.
Spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dmytro Lykhoviy, also denied the breakthrough from Kursk Oblast, noting that the Russians are spreading "additional fakes" "against the backdrop of the generally not-so-good mood on our social media."
He said that at around 6 AM, a Russian unit tried to advance towards the border with Ukraine in the direction of Nikolayevo-Daryino–Zhuravka. However, this attempt was unsuccessful.
This is not the first alleged entry of Russian troops into Sumy Oblast.
Last July, information was circulating online about an attempt by Russians to break through the border in Sumy Oblast in the direction of the villages of Chuykivka, Rozhkovychi, and Sytne. It was claimed that after a long artillery preparation, the Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group entered the territory of Ukraine, but the invaders were defeated. Later, the State Border Guard Service said that there had been no such breach of the border.