The Russian Volunteer Corps, one of the Russian militia groups fighting on Ukraine's side, claimed on May 29 that its members had reentered Russian territory.
"Yesterday, Russian border guards celebrated their professional holiday. The fighters of the Russian Volunteer Corps congratulated them by successfully crossing the 'holey' state border once again," the group wrote on Telegram.
The Anti-Kremlin fighters published photos of armed men in a field allegedly located in Russia, but the pictures don't clearly indicate where they were taken.
The alleged incursion's aim will be evident "in the near future," the Russian Volunteer Corps added.
This is the third time over the last week that the anti-government group claims to have crossed into Russia.
Asami Terajima
On May 25, the fighters published a video saying they "are back in the Motherland" with what appeared to be a Russian post brunch in the background.
On May 22, the Russian Volunteer Corps and another similar group — the Free Russia Legion — claimed they had crossed into Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, and taken hold of bordering villages.
Russian authorities announced a "counter-terrorist operation" and evacuated residents from settlements near the Russian-Ukrainian border.
The Russian Defense Ministry said they had defeated what they called "Ukrainian formations," claiming to have "killed 70 combatants" and destroyed four armored combat vehicles and five trucks.
However, the Russian Volunteer Corps denied these claims. According to the group, its members wear MultiCam patterns, not the pixelated camouflage shown in the photo posted by Russian authorities.
