"Cleaning up Putin's scum": Freedom of Russia Legion reports clash in Belgorod region

The Legion reported the information on its Telegram.

"We would like to inform you that our groups are currently working in the Belgorod region. There are no wounded or dead among the Legionnaires, we are working according to plan. Leave the tales of minefields to Konashenkov (head of the Information and Mass Communications Department of the Russian Defense Ministry - ed.). We continue to cleanse our home of Putin's filth. There is a battle going on, all the details will follow," the statement reads.

It noted that the operational headquarters of the Belgorod region also reported a battle between Russian border guards and “legionnaires.” They claim that there was no breakthrough into the region.

"Several sources spread information that a sabotage and reconnaissance group operated near the settlements of Staroselie and Terebreno. There was no such event. Border guards, together with other law enforcement agencies, started fighting on the demarcation line. As a reminder, a state of emergency has been declared in the village of Staroselie. The villagers were resettled last October. No one lives there now," local authorities said.

Freedom of Russia Legion’s operations in Russia’s Belgorod region

On May 22, the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps announced that they have taken control of the towns of Kozinka and Gora-Podol in the Belgorod region of Russia, and their advanced units have entered the city of Graivoron.

On June 2, the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps announced the second phase of their operation in the Belgorod region. This time, the Russian partisans focused on the city of Shebekino.

On June 3, the "legionnaires" accused Putin's troops of randomly shelling the Belgorod region and urged the residents to evacuate further into Ukraine.

According to the Russian Volunteer Corps on June 3, the border zone in the Belgorod region is turning into a deserted area with no local administration or police. They aim to establish a presence in this gray zone to restore order later.

On the morning of June 4, volunteers reported fighting near Shebekino.

In the afternoon of June 4, the Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps released a video showing two captured individuals, who appealed to the regional head Vyacheslav Gladkov, asking him to come and take the prisoners who belong to the Russian-controlled army.

Although Gladkov agreed to the meeting, he ultimately did not show up. The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps announced their intention to hand over the Russian prisoners to the Ukrainian side for an exchange.

Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Ukrainian State Government, stated that if Ukraine receives requests for a safe passage for the residents of the Belgorod region, they will consider them.

On Wednesday, June 7, fighters from the Freedom of Russia Legion declared that they consider Crimea as a temporarily occupied part of Ukraine.

Also, on June 7, the commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps claimed that they have been in control of Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Belgorod region for the past seven days.