In reports of new attempts to travel to Russia, Ukraine said it had collided with a drone command unit in the Kursk region.
According to Ukrainian general staff, the attack on the unit on Sunday was near Tiotkino in a Russian village.
Several Russian military bloggers also reported that Ukrainian forces were about to cross the village, posting images of vehicles breaching the traps of tanks at the border.
The report comes after Moscow claimed it had regained control of the entire region nine months after the Ukrainian forces launched a surprising invasion in April. Kiev claims it is still soldiers operating across the border.
On Monday, Ukrainian forces fired missiles across the border and crossed the minefield with special vehicles, according to the bloggers.
“The enemy blew the bridge with rockets at night and launched an attack with an armored group in the morning,” blogger Rvvoenkor said according to a Reuters news agency.
“Mine clearance vehicles began to create passageways in the minefields, followed by armored vehicles by the military. There is a fierce battle at the border.”
“Nine months after the start of Operation Kursk, the Ukrainian Defence Forces are maintaining military presence in the territory of Russia’s Kursk region.” Ukraine said in a statement on Monday.
Although there was no official response from Moscow, some military bloggers have also issued maps showing opposition forces trying to cross the border at two locations towards Tiotkino.
Meanwhile, in Sammy, the local government has urged people to evacuate two settlements, about 12 km across the border from Tiotokino in northeastern Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Ukraine originally hoped to make a surprise invasion at Kursk in August 2024 to create a buffer zone and use it as a negotiation tip in future negotiations, protecting Sami and its surrounding areas.
