Russia says repelling Ukrainian saboteurs near border

MOSCOW: Russia's national guard said on Thursday it was fighting off attacks from pro-Ukrainian groups in the region of Kursk, the latest in a recent string of clashes at the border.
Three separate groups of Ukrainian militias, mainly comprised of anti-Kremlin Russians, this week claimed to have captured the village of Tyotkino in a joint operation.
"Rosgvardia units are involved in repulsing an attack by enemy diversion groups near the village of Tyotkino in the Kursk region," the national guard said.
One of the pro-Kyiv volunteer groups, the Freedom of Russia Legion, warned Russians living in some border cities of imminent shelling attacks.
"All residents of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions who do not have time or have no opportunity to evacuate, immediately proceed to shelters!" they said.
Russia's defence ministry rejected assertions that the militia groups had taken control of Tyotkino and claimed to have thwarted an attempted incursion using air, rockets and artillery fire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the wave of attacks are part of efforts to disrupt forthcoming elections in Russian and occupied regions of Ukraine this weekend.