The Latest Breaking News from Belgorod

Comments from Alexander Lukashenko, Belarusian president, come as Russia and Belarus sign new deal for storage of nuclear weapons

A cross-border incursion into the Russian region of Belgorod on Monday put the Free Russia Legion under the spotlight, prompting questions about this mysterious paramilitary unit of anti-Putin Russians.

Yevgeny Prigozhin says children of Russian elite ‘shook their arses’ in sun while sons of poor returned in coffins

The paramilitaries who raided Belgorod include guerrillas with far-right connections, anti-Kremlin veterans and former members of Russia’s security services

Yevgeny Prigozhin said about 20 per cent of the 50,000 Russian prisoners recruited to fight in the 15-month war died in the eastern Ukrainian city

FRANCE 24 spoke to exiled Russian opposition figure Ilya Ponomarev, the political representative of the Freedom of Russia Legion. This Ukraine-based paramilitary group of Russian volunteers has been involved in cross-border incursions into Russia's Belgorod region in the past last few days. Ponomarev claimed the pro-Ukrainian, anti-Putin group "didn't lose…

Moscow claims that Ukrainian tropps crossed into one of its border towns in the region, forcing an evacution – Kyiv denies any involvement

A Russian official says Moscow's forces have shot down “a large number” of drones in Russia’s southern Belgorod region

Security experts say incursions seek to pull Russian troops away from key battles to help Ukraine counteroffensive.

A two-day incursion from Ukraine into Russia's western borderlands could force the Kremlin to divert troops from front lines as Kyiv prepares a major counteroffensive, and deal Moscow a psychological blow, according to military analysts.

‘We need to prepare for an arduous war,’ Russian mercenary group leader warns