Russian guerrillas strike military targets in Belgorod and Kursk
"We will open fire on military targets within 1.5 hours from this video message," announces Denis Kapustin, commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, in a video published at 2:14 AM EST. He urges the residents of Belgorod and Kursk to evacuate immediately. Shortly after, an attack ensued.
9:11 AM EDT, March 14, 2024
"Your authorities have not taken any steps to protect or evacuate you, while the shelling of peaceful Ukrainian towns and villages persists. We are compelled to retaliate against military targets. Please evacuate at once," Kapustin states in the video.
Over an hour after this initial announcement via the channels of the "Freedom of Russia" Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, another alert was issued: "Attention! All residents of the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions unable to evacuate due to time or resources, seek shelter immediately!".
Right after this timeframe, sirens blared across Belgorod and its vicinity. Numerous explosions were reported, accompanied by smoke towering over the area.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed the shelling incidents, while military correspondents spoke of "engagements with saboteurs in the border areas."
Roman Starovoit, the governor of the Kursk region, validated this on Telegram, stating, "Sabotage and reconnaissance groups are launching attacks on the border." The Russian forces successfully repelled the attack.
Attack on Belgorod results in casualties
This incident marks another assault on Belgorod. On Thursday morning, the Russian Ministry of Defense acknowledged the interception of eight missiles fired from multiple rocket launch systems.
The attack resulted in one casualty—a motorist struck by a missile—and left three others wounded. Two residences and a healthcare facility sustained damages in the offensive.
Guerrilla operations in Russian territories
On March 12, elements of the "Freedom of Russia" Legion and the Siberian Battalion, constituting Russian guerrilla forces, infiltrated the Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia. Subsequently, the Freedom of Russia Legion claimed full control over the town of Tiotkino in Kursk.
Reports on Wednesday evening indicated ongoing clashes between the guerrillas and the military in five villages within the Belgorod region.
In recent months, Belgorod and nearby localities, positioned close to the Ukrainian border, have frequently been the targets of artillery fire. The most severe of these incidents occurred on December 30th last year, claiming 25 civilian lives in Belgorod and injuring over 100. The Kremlin attributed these assaults to Ukraine.
