MELITOPOL, August 7. /TASS/. Ukraine’s military has redeployed a number of units, including the SS Bears nationalist battalion, to the Kharkov Region for provocations on the border with the Belgorod Region over the past two weeks, Vladimir Rogov, the chairman of the commission on sovereignty, patriotic projects and support for veterans of Russia’s Civic Chamber, has told TASS.
"The SS Bears nationalist battalion from the Kherson Region, as well as other Ukrainian units have been sent to the Kharkov Region to the border with Russia. The concentration of manpower and equipment there is quite significant. The nationalist battalions’ presence is clear to the naked eye. The redeployment of Ukrainian forces occurred over the past two weeks," Rogov said.
He believes that the Ukrainian military may be preparing active actions on the border of the Belgorod Region.
"There is a build-up of forces there, which raises certain concerns that after the Kursk Region they may try to stage a provocation in the Belgorod Region. The buildup is not defensive. The purpose is to distract our forces for defending the Kursk Region and Belgorod Region from other areas," Rogov said.
The SS Bears nationalist battalion is an assault unit created by the Right Sector banned in Russia. Some of the unit's personnel were taken prisoner during the liberation of Mariupol and convicted in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
On August 6, the Kursk Region was subjected to a massive attack from Ukraine. An attempt to break through the state border was prevented, Russian air defenses shot down 26 drones and several missiles over the region. Five people were killed in the attacks.