18 Mar, 20:18

FACTBOX: What we know about Kiev’s thwarted provocation in Belgorod Region

Ukraine’s losses amounted to up to 60 troops, a tank, seven armored fighting vehicles, three counterobstacle vehicles, and a motor vehicle

© Anadolu/Getty Images

MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. The Kiev regime has attempted an incursion into Russia’s borderline Belgorod Region in a bid to create a negative background around the phone talks between the Russian and US presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, the Russian defense ministry said, adding that the attempt was foiled.

TASS FACTBOX editors have complied this overview of the ministry’s statement.

Provocation

In order to create a negative background around the negotiations between the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States on the settlement of the hostilities in Ukraine planned for the evening of 18 March 2025, the Kiev regime attempted to invade Russian territory in the morning (at 05:50) in the western part of Belgorod region near Demidovka and Prilesye to discredit the peace initiatives of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The enemy carried out five attacks during the day, the fifth attack was conducted from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Moscow time (2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. GMT).

Up to 200 Ukrainian militants and 29 combat vehicles were deployed including five tanks, 16 armored fighting vehicles, three counterobstacle vehicles, a UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, and four motor vehicles.

Repulse of the attacks

Battlegroup North border security units, artillery, and FPV drones repelled the attacks.

All attempts to cross the state border were prevented.

The Kiev regime’s provocation ahead of the Russian-US top-level talks was thwarted.

Ukraine’s losses

Ukraine’s losses amounted to up to 60 troops, a tank, seven armored fighting vehicles, three counterobstacle vehicles, and a motor vehicle.

The remaining militants scattered, the enemy halted all attempts to attack again.

Strikes of Ukraine’s reserves

The Russian Armed Forces delivered 30 air and missile strikes as well as 13 strikes by army aviation, a strike by an Iskander tactical missile launcher and a Tornado-S MLRS, and two strikes by heavy flamethrower systems on the detected Ukrainian troop clusters of manpower and materiel reserves in the 8-10 km zone (Sumy region). Forty UMPK FAB-500 aerial bombs were launched to hit the targets.

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