Russia Army Says It Repelled Ukrainian Assault on Belgorod Amid Ceasefire Talks - The Moscow Times
Russia's military said late Tuesday that it repelled an attempt by Ukrainian forces to launch an assault on the Belgorod region, framing the attack as an effort to undermine ceasefire talks between Moscow and Washington.
The statement came shortly after a phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Putin agreed to a 30-day pause in attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure but rejected a broader ceasefire.
According to Russia's Defense Ministry, Ukraine deployed up to 200 soldiers in the attack on the Belgorod region, along with "five tanks, 16 armored combat vehicles and three demolition vehicles."
"A total of five attacks were carried out by the enemy during the day," the ministry said, adding that "no crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation was allowed."
Ukraine has not yet commented on the reported assault.
Russia has repeatedly accused Ukraine of launching incursions into its border regions since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including in the Kursk region, where fighting has been ongoing since August.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/03/18/russia-army-says-it-repelled-ukrainia n-assault-on-belgorod-amid-ceasefire-talks-a88408
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* Origin: Ukraine News from various sources (2:263/1)