Belgorod: Russian paramilitary group vows more incursions

The caput of the Russian paramilitary radical that said it was down a cross-border raid into Russia from Ukraine has vowed much specified incursions.

"I deliberation you volition spot america again connected that side," said Denis Kapustin, who leads the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK).

Russia said it had repelled the raid, sidesplitting much than 70 saboteurs. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu promised a "harsh response" to immoderate aboriginal incursions.

Ukraine denies engagement successful the raid.

The RDK on with the Liberty of Russia Legion (LSR) claimed Monday's raid into Belgorod region.

Speaking connected Wednesday to reporters connected the Ukrainian broadside of the border, Mr Kapustin, whose nom de guerre is White Rex, said: "We're satisfied with the effect [of the raid]."

He said his radical had managed to prehend "some weapons", including an armoured unit carrier, and instrumentality prisoners during the cognition - earlier leaving Russian territory aft 24 hours.

He said 2 RBK fighters were injured, denying claims by the Russian subject astir dense casualties inflicted connected the saboteurs.

Separately, the LSR said 2 of its fighters had been killed and 10 injured.

The casualty claims by the warring sides person not been independently verified.

At the quality briefing Mr Kapustin denied reports that his fighters were utilizing weapons provided by Western allies to Ukraine to assistance support itself against Russia's full-scale penetration launched successful February 2022.

Russia describes the RDK and LSR arsenic Ukrainian militants - but Kyiv says they travel from 2 anti-Kremlin paramilitaries.

Both groups accidental they privation to dismantle Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime, and person successful the past been described arsenic portion of an planetary legion progressive successful Ukraine's territorial defence.

Mr Kapustin said that Ukraine lone provided enactment to the RDK with aesculapian supplies, petrol and food.

The RDK came to prominence successful March 2023, taking portion successful a cross-border raid successful Russia's Bryansk portion which it said progressive 45 people.

Denis Kapustin is known arsenic a Russian nationalist, and the radical openly says it wants a mono-ethnic Russian state.

Asked connected Wednesday astir reported neo-Nazis successful the group's ranks, Mr Kapustin responded that "it's each a question of perception" and went connected to picture himself arsenic having "traditionalist" and "patriotic" views.

In 2020, a Ukrainian investigative website alleged helium had links to neo-Nazi groups and Mr Kapustin has spoken successful the past of belonging to a question of shot hooligans.

Earlier connected Wednesday, Mr Shoigu briefed Russian subject officials connected Moscow's effect to the Belgorod raid.

He said "more than 70 Ukrainian nationalists" had been killed and the remainder pushed backmost into Ukraine.

"We volition proceed to respond to specified actions by Ukrainian militants promptly and highly harshly," the Russian defence curate added.

Moscow says respective civilians were injured during the incursion.

Russia posted pictures of destroyed US vehicles seemingly astatine the country of the warring successful the Belgorod portion - but immoderate Ukrainian subject experts and bloggers person suggested they could person been staged.

The US said it was sceptical that reports of US-supplied weapons being utilized successful the incursion were existent and did not "encourage oregon alteration strikes wrong of Russia".

But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the vehicles were grounds of increasing Western subject engagement successful Ukraine.

"It is nary concealed for america that much and much instrumentality is being delivered to Ukraine's equipped forces. It is nary concealed that this instrumentality is being utilized against our ain military," helium said.

"We are drafting the due conclusions."

Monday's raid led Moscow to state a counter-terrorism operation, giving the authorities peculiar powers to clamp down connected communications and people's movements. The measures were lone lifted the pursuing afternoon.

Belgorod politician Vyacheslav Gladkov said drone attacks by drones connected Tuesday nighttime were mostly dealt with by aerial defences, but immoderate harm was caused to cars, backstage houses and administrative buildings