Russian authorities reported on Monday that Ukrainian military saboteurs had initiated a cross-border assault, injuring three individuals in a small town. Conversely, Kyiv officials refuted the accusations, ascribing the conflict to a rebellion by discontented Russians against the Kremlin.
Verification of either narrative could have been more attainable, given the sporadic overflow of the nearly 15-month-long Ukrainian conflict into the vicinity.
The governor of Belgorod, a Russian region adjacent to Ukraine, stated that a group of saboteurs from the Ukrainian Armed Forces infiltrated the town of Graivoron, situated roughly five kilometres (three miles) from the border, which also suffered Ukrainian artillery fire.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed that three individuals sustained shrapnel injuries during the onslaught. Damage was inflicted on three residences and an administrative building, he added.
In the nearby village of Zamostye, a projectile struck a kindergarten, causing a fire and injuring a woman’s hand, Gladkov reported. He also noted that Russian anti-aircraft systems had intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle over the Belgorod region.
Gladkov indicated that a counterterrorist operation was ongoing and that special control measures were imposed, including checks on personal documents and cessation of operations for companies handling potentially hazardous substances like explosives and radioactive, chemical, and biological materials.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, disclosed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was apprised of the alleged saboteur intrusion and that efforts to “expel them from the Russian territory and neutralize them” were in progress.
Peskov characterized the incident as a diversionary tactic by Ukraine from the contested eastern city of Bakhmut, which Moscow purports to have seized after months of conflict, although Kyiv maintains it is still battling there.
However, Ukrainian military intelligence officials did not corroborate the deployment of saboteurs by Kyiv. They instead suggested that the Graivoron incursion was conducted by Russian citizens advocating for regime change in Moscow.
According to Andrii Cherniak, a representative for Ukrainian intelligence, the attack was orchestrated by Russian citizens associated with shadowy groups self-styled as the Russian Volunteer Corps and the “Freedom of Russia” Legion.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, refuted any Ukrainian involvement in the attack on Twitter, hinting that an “armed guerrilla movement” was responsible.
The Russian Volunteer Corps, describing itself as “a volunteer formation fighting on Ukraine’s side,” announced via a Telegram post that it had once again infiltrated the Russian border, following a similar claim made in early March. Little information about the group or its potential connections to the Ukrainian military is available, with the “Freedom of Russia” Legion sharing similar ambiguity.
Established in the previous August, the Russian Volunteer Corps is believed to predominantly consist of anti-Putin, far-right Russian extremists linked to far-right Ukrainian factions.
On Monday, after losing its external power source for the seventh instance since Russia’s comprehensive invasion, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, relied on emergency diesel generators for several hours, according to the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
Rafael Grossi, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, expressed his concern about the plant’s precarious nuclear safety situation via a tweet.
Following this, Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s national energy company, announced on Telegram that power to the plant had been reinstated.
However, for Grossi, the scenario reiterated the need for immediate protective measures for the Russian-occupied plant, which has been subject to nearby shellings.
“Immediate agreement on the plant’s protection is necessary; this situation cannot persist,” Grossi urged, noting the presence of IAEA personnel at the facility occupied by Russian troops.
The plant’s six nuclear reactors are secured by a reinforced shelter capable of resisting stray shells or rocket strikes. However, disruption to the electrical supply could hinder the essential cooling systems necessary for the reactors’ safety, even when shut down. Emergency diesel generators, deemed capable of maintaining plant operations for 10 days, could be more reliable.
Grossi noted that this marked the seventh instance of the plant losing its external power source since Russia’s comprehensive invasion commenced in February 2022.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant ranks among the world’s 10 largest nuclear power stations.
On Monday morning, Ukraine’s presidential office reported that at least three Ukrainian civilians had been killed and 16 others injured during Russian attacks over the past 24 hours.
The Ukrainian Air Force declared they had intercepted four out of 16 Russian missiles, and all 20 drones launched against Ukrainian targets.
Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city located centrally, was targeted for Russian attacks, injuring eight people and damaging public infrastructure and military targets, as stated by officials. Among the affected locations were the Dnipro fire department and 12 houses, stores, and a kindergarten, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.
As this intricate and multifaceted conflict unfolds, both sides continue to assert their respective narratives, all while the world watches with growing concern. For now, it remains uncertain who is responsible for the assault in Graivoron and how this incident will influence the already strained Russia-Ukraine relationship. What is clear, however, is that the international community’s attention is more crucial than ever, with peace, safety, and nuclear security hanging in the balance.
