Russia Destroys 2 Ukrainian Combat Vehicles, Killing 5 Intruders

Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Monday that its forces destroyed two Ukrainian combat vehicles that violated the Russian state border earlier in the day.

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At about 6 a.m. Moscow time in the border area of Russia's Rostov region, Federal Security Service (FSB) officers discovered the penetration of a sabotage and reconnaissance group from Ukraine. To detain the intruders, the FSB border detachment requested reinforcements from the Southern Military District of the Russian armed forces.

During the clash, two infantry fighting vehicles of the "Ukrainian Armed Forces entered Russia" to urgently evacuate the sabotage and reconnaissance group. A unit of the Russian armed forces promptly arrived at the scene of the clash and destroyed both vehicles by using anti-tank weapons.

Five members of the sabotage and reconnaissance group were killed, while there was no casualty among the Russian troops and the FSB officers.

Rejecting the allegation, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that "Ukraine did not send saboteurs or armored personnel carriers (APCs) over the Russian border, shell Russian territory" or "shell Russian border crossing."

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry denied Russia's media reports that Ukraine has launched an offensive against Russia. "The units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are in their positions, adhere to the Minsk agreements and do not carry out any offensive actions," it said.

Ukraine accused Russia of blowing up its infrastructure and carrying out chaotic shelling of settlements, saying it is a tool of the information war against Ukraine to accuse Kiev of aggressive actions.