There was an attempted incursion by Ukraine into southwestern Russia, which was thwarted by Russian forces. According to Aleksandr Bogomaz, the governor of Russia’s Bryansk region, an “armed group” attempted to breach the border but was beaten back by Russian military forces. The situation is now reported to be “stable and under control” by the Russian military. There was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials. This incident comes after Ukraine launched a surprise push on Russia’s Kursk province in August, which was the largest attack on Russia since World War II.
Ukraine’s military has been pushing deeper into Russian territory, and Russian officials have sought to downplay the significance of the incursions. However, Western officials have speculated that Moscow may send troops from North Korea to bolster its forces and stoke the almost three-year war. This assertion was corroborated by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, which reported that North Korean soldiers had been detected in Kursk, where they had been training and equipped with winter clothing.
Russian Forces Repel Ukrainian Attack on Border (Image via Getty)
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that his country will respond to any US or NATO ally allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with long-range Western missiles. Putin has reiterated that Moscow would view such strikes as a major escalation and has announced a revised nuclear doctrine that considers a conventional attack on Russia by a non-nuclear nation supported by a nuclear power as a joint attack on his country. This move is seen as a warning to the West not to support Ukraine’s military efforts.
In response to Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian territory, Putin has declared that his country will consider a nuclear response to any aerial assault. Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly said they need permission to strike weapons depots, airfields, and military bases far from the border to motivate Russia to seek peace. The US has allowed Kyiv to use American-provided weapons for limited, cross-border strikes to counter Russian attacks, but has also cautioned against escalating the conflict.
As tensions continue to rise, more than a dozen Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian regions on Sunday, and three civilians were killed in Russian shelling in Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson. Air raid sirens wailed for over three hours in Kyiv overnight into Sunday, and Ukraine’s air force reported that it had shot down 41 drones launched by Russia across Ukrainian territory.
