As many as 195 soldiers were killed in the failed operation, according to the Russian Defense Ministry
FILE PHOTO: A Russian TOS-2 multiple rocket launcher during an exercise. © Sputnik/Mikhail Voskresenskiy
Ukraine has lost up to 195 troops in an attempt to breach the Russia’s border and enter Belgorod Region, the Russian military reported on Thursday.
The attacking force was moving towards the Russian border village of Spodaryushino, when it was struck using aviation and artillery, the Defense Ministry said in a daily briefing. In addition, Kiev lost five tanks, four armored combat vehicles, three UR-77 mine-breaching vehicles and three military engineering vehicles, it added.
Disturbing images circulating on Russian social media claim to show Ukrainian soldiers killed in action during the operation. According to the description in the post, Russia used a TOS rocket system against a group of Ukrainian troops. The multiple rocket launcher uses thermobaric munitions and is designed to attack military personnel in the field.
A separate fight with Ukrainian forces was reported on Thursday by the governor of neighboring Kursk Region. No specific details about that engagement were immediately available, except that it happened near the border village of Tyotkino.
READ MORE: Russia releases VIDEO of failed Ukrainian incursion attempt
On Tuesday, three Kiev-backed militia formations armed with heavy weapons attempted to enter Kursk and Belgorod regions. In that assault, the Ukrainian side lost over 230 fighters, seven tanks, three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and two armored personnel carriers, according to the Russian military.
