Belgorod raid shows that war can be transferred to Russia without any apocalypse – military expert Chernyk

This was stated by military expert Petro Chernyk on Espreso.

"I have several strategic conclusions about these events (in the Belgorod region - ed.). The first conclusion is that this is a personal and very serious image blow to Putin. He is the guarantor of the inviolability of the territory of the Russian Federation. This is already in doubt. The second is that there is finally an understanding that the war can be moved to the territory of the Russian Federation and there will be no apocalypse. The third conclusion ties in with the first: regional elites will think very seriously. They have given part of their power to the Fuhrer, but is he able to guarantee their inviolability, security, and life. This can also be true of Moscow's elites," he believes.

According to Chernyk, there are overestimated expectations from this operation – a guerrilla war will not break out tomorrow.

"It requires one fundamental aspect - the support of the local population. In general philosophy, it is incredibly good that it all started there. The most important conclusion is that we have acquired a real doctrinal offensive and defensive system. We have become an entity as a military force. Such a force is able to bear any responsibility for raids outside the territory. This is a unique phenomenon in our history," the expert summarised.

• On May 22, the Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps announced that they had liberated the settlements of Kozinka and Gora-Podol in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation as part of the creation of a demilitarized zone on the border with Russia, and that advanced units had entered Graivoron. A counterterrorism operation was introduced in the region and nuclear munitions are being evacuated.

• Late in the evening of May 22, Russian media reported that administrative buildings in Belgorod had been hit by drones, including the FSB and the Interior Ministry, and that drones had also been reported to have hit administrative buildings in Graivoron and Borisovka.

• Russia claims to have killed 70 participants in the events in the Belgorod region and driven the rest into Ukraine. The Russian Volunteer Corps says it has no casualties.

• On May 24, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Security Service (2014-2015), Major General Viktor Yahun, said that the enemy had probably moved units from Belarusian training grounds to the Belgorod region.

• On May 24, the Free Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps held a joint press conference in one of Ukraine's border regions.

• The United States cannot confirm the information about the alleged use of American weapons transferred to Ukraine by the forces that invaded the territory of Russia's Belgorod region.

• No Ukrainian soldier took part in the May 22 infiltration operation in the Belgorod region – The New York Times

• Military expert Serhiy Zgurets said that Belgorod cross-border raid destroyed Russian myth on their ability to protect border regions

• A new report by the Institute for the Study of War also noted that Russia is experiencing information shocks due to the events in the Belgorod region.