If confirmed, it would be another sign after the drone attacks earlier this week that Kyiv may be taking the fight to Russian territory, exposing the weaknesses of Russia’s defenses, embarrassing the Kremlin and causing discontent among Russian civilians.
The Federal Security Service was quoted by the Russian state news agency Tass as saying that “operations to eliminate Ukrainian military nationals who violated the state border” were underway.
Tass, citing Russian law enforcement, said earlier that the saboteurs were holding up to six people hostage. The local governor said the group had shot at a vehicle there, killing one man and injuring a 10-year-old child.
Drones that the Kremlin said were launched by Ukraine were flown deep inside Russian territory on Tuesday, including one that got within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of Moscow .
Thursday’s apparent attack also embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin, days after he ordered the Federal Security Service to control Russia’s border with Ukraine.
Tass, citing an unnamed security official, said two towns in the Bryansk region – Susany and Lyubechane – were attacked by “several dozen armed fighters”.
Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, said that the group shot at a vehicle in Lyubechane, killing one man and injuring a child. He also said that a Ukrainian drone hit a house in Susany, setting it on fire.
In Ukraine on Thursday, three people were killed and six others wounded when a Russian missile hit a five-story apartment building in a southeastern city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that several floors of the building were destroyed in the strike, which happened while it was still dark.
The State Emergency Service said in an online statement that it had rescued 11 people so far.
Zaporizhzhia is a large city that had a population of over 700,000 before Russia launched a full-scale attack on its neighbor just over a year ago. The administrative capital of the region is Zaporizhzhia, which is home to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
Russian artillery, drones and missiles have been pounding Ukrainian-controlled areas in the south and east of the country for months. Moscow denies targeting civilians, but its indiscriminate shelling has caused widespread destruction in cities.
The war lasted largely to a grinding stalemate during the winter months.
Zelenskyy said that Russia “wants to turn every day for our people into a day of terror. ” He said: “But evil will not reign in our country.”
Meanwhile, a fierce battle continued for control of Bakhmut, a key eastern stronghold from which Ukrainian officials say they could strategically withdraw.
The Ukrainian General Staff said Russian forces “continue to advance and storm the city,” but Kyiv troops repelled some of the attacks on the city. was damaged. Pavlo Kyrylenko, Donetsk regional Gov, said one person was wounded in Bakhmut on Thursday morning.
Bakhmut was among the cities and towns in the Donetsk region that came under Russian shelling, according to the General Staff update.
Taking the city would not only allow Russian forces to gain a battlefield advantage after months of setbacks but could also cut off Ukrainian supply lines. and allowing Kremlin forces to advance towards other Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk. ___
Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
