4 Jun, 2023 22:26.Its on

Ukraine begins ‘large-scale offensive’ – Russian MOD

Kiev’s troops have unsuccessfully tried to break through the frontline in Donbass,the Russian Defense Ministry said

Ukrainian forces have attacked the Russian troopsalong five sections of the frontline in Donbass during their “large-scale offensive,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in the early hours of Monday.

According to the MOD, the assault began on Sunday morning. “The enemy’s goal was to breach our defenses in what they assumed was the most vulnerable section of the frontline,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The enemy has failed to reach its goals and was unsuccessful,” the ministry stated.

The MOD said that Ukraine had deployed the 23rd and the 31st mechanized brigade from its “strategic reserves,” which were supported in battle by other units.

“The Ukrainian Armed Forces havelost more than 250 service members, 16 tanks, three infantry vehicles, and 21 armored vehicles,” the MOD said.

The ministry released a video of what it said were strikes on Ukrainian military vehicles.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said on Saturday that Kiev was ready to launch its long-planned counteroffensive and that the military could not wait “for months.” The deputy head of his office, Igor Zhovkva, however, said the same day that his country had still not received enough weapons and ammunition to mount a successful campaign.

Kiev has recently stepped up the artillery and drone attacks on Russian cities, including a UAV raid on Moscow last week. The Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday evening that the troops had repelled an armed incursion into the Belgorod Region, which shares a border with Ukraine.

The Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the ‘Freedom of Russia’ Legion – two pro-Kiev groups made up of fighters with neo-Nazi background – claimed responsibility for that attack and similar forays into Russian territory that took place throughout this spring.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gudkov wrote on his Telegram channel early Monday morning that a drone strike had started a fire on “an energy infrastructure site.” He added that there were no casualties and no power outages.

https://www.rt.com/russia/577470-ukraine-large-scale-offensive-russia/

4 Jun, 2023 19:58

NATO member questions Kiev about attack inside Russia

Belgium is concerned over reports claiming arms it sent to Kiev were used in raids on Russian territory, local media said

Brussels is concerned over media reports claiming thatweapons it sent to Kiev were used by militants to launch incursions into Russia, several Belgian media outlets reported on Sunday, adding that the government will demand an official explanation from Ukraine on the issue.

Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder and Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbibwill “contact the Ukrainian authorities and ask for clarifications,” the defense minister’s office confirmed to Belgium’s RTBF broadcaster.

The documents accompanying each weapons delivery from Belgium “explicitly state” that the military equipment can only be distributed to the regular armed forces and used only to “defend” Ukrainian territory, the media added.

“These weapons are therefore not authorized for isolated groups that have an internal Russian agenda,” a Belgian official told another local media outlet, Le Soir. The Belgian media also described the ‘Freedom of Russia Legion’ and the ‘Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK)’ – two Kiev-backed militant groups that are said to be in possession of Western arms – as groups that have “neo-Nazi” members within their ranks.

The RDK and the ‘Freedom of Russia Legion’ were responsible for several incursions into Russian territory in March and May 2023. Photos and videos published by the militants from their raid last month, as well as images released by the Russian Defense Ministry in the wake of the clashes with the militants, suggested that their sabotage groups made use of US and Polish armored vehicles, as well as Belgian and Czech assault rifles.

The Pentagon and the US State Department expressed doubts regarding the authenticity of the images. On Saturday, the Washington Post reported, citing sources linked to US intelligence, that the militants did use weapons and heavy equipment supplied to Kiev by their Western backers.

The May raid ended up with the Russian forces killing “over 70 Ukrainian terrorists” and destroying “four armored combat vehicles, and five pickup trucks,” the Russian Defense Ministry said at that time. The incursion resulted in one civilian death and 12 injuries, according to Russian authorities.

On Sunday, the two militant groups sought to launch another cross-border raid into Russia’s Belgorod Region, its governor said. The militants were “dispersed” and pushed back into Ukrainian territory, the defense ministry said later the same day.

https://www.rt.com/news/577468-nato-member-question-kiev-attack/