The Freedom of Russia Legion is responsible for the events in the Belgorod region.

The Freedom of Russia Legion and members of the Russian Volunteer Corps, fighting on the Ukrainian side, are conducting an operation in the Russian Belgorod region to create a “security strip” meant to protect peaceful Ukrainians, said Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.

On the morning of May 22, Ukrainian and Russian mass media outlets reported clashes on the Ukrainian-Russian border, shelling in the Belgorod region, and the destruction of a Russian Federation border post. Russian Volunteer Corps members announced that they had conducted the raid in Russian territory. Fighters from the Freedom of Russia Legion also recorded a video appeal to Russians.

Immediately, the press secretary of Russian President, Dmitriy Peskov, said that Putin, the Ministry of Defense, and the FSB were informed that a group of Ukrainian saboteurs had entered the Belgorod region.