MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Combat aircraft, artillery and Russian troops destroyed over 70 Ukrainian saboteurs in the Belgorod Region in the counter-terror operation, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.

The Kiev regime has switched to terror attacks on civilians after its rout in Artyomovsk, he said.

"After suffering its defeat in Artyomovsk, the Kiev regime has switched to terror attacks on civilians. On May 22, after intensive artillery bombardments of the Kozinka international checkpoint, and also some other civilian facilities in the Graivoronsky district of the Belgorod Region, a Ukrainian nationalist formation intruded into the territory of the Russian Federation," the spokesman said.

"In the counter-terror operation, the nationalist units were blocked and routed as a result of air strikes, artillery fire and active operations by forces of the Western Military District protecting the state border," the spokesman said.

"The nationalists’ remnants were pushed back to Ukrainian territory where they continued to be struck by firepower until they were totally eliminated. Over 70 Ukrainian terrorists, four armored combat vehicles and five pickup trucks were destroyed," the general specified.