Russia announced this Tuesday that it had killed a Ukrainian commando attacking the Belgorod region, marking the most serious incursion between the two countries since early February last year.

According to Russian authorities, fighters from Ukraine attacked several cities with artillery and drones.

The Kremlin expressed “deep concern” and urged a redoubling of “efforts” to prevent other operations of this type, adding to a series of attacks on Russian soil in full preparation for a major Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Russia’s defense ministry said on Tuesday it had repelled the raid, with support from its air force and artillery.

“In the anti-terrorist operation, the nationalist formations [ucranianas] they were blocked and crushed by aerial bombardment and artillery fire,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The rest of the nationalists were driven back to the territory of Ukraine, where the shelling took place […] they continued until they were completely eliminated,” the ministry added, which stated that “more than 70 Ukrainian terrorists” were killed.

This information cannot be verified at this time.

“We are not waging war against foreign territories,” said Ukrainian deputy defense minister Ganna Maliar, referring to an “internal Russian crisis”.

In the afternoon, the governor of the Belgorod region, Viacheslav Gladkov, announced the lifting of the “anti-terrorist” regime that had been proclaimed the day before.

That measure gives security forces extensive powers to conduct armed operations, conduct population checks and conduct evacuations, which were used in Chechnya from 1999 to 2009.

In an app message, the Freedom for Russia Legion claimed responsibility for the actions. Another related group is said to have taken part in the operation, the ‘Russian Volunteer Corps’.

Governor Gladkov stated that nine cities were evacuated and 13 people were injured “in criminal actions” and Ukrainian shelling.