A Russian sabotage unit tried unsuccessfully to cross the Ukrainian border into Chernihiv Oblast, Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev said on Aug. 1.
"Last night in the northern direction of Chernihiv Oblast, (Ukrainian forces) prevented an attempt by an enemy sabotage group to cross Ukraine's state border," Naiev wrote on his Telegram channel.
"Four armed people were spotted by border guards of the second border outpost using thermal vision."
According to Naiev, Ukrainian troops opened fire on the Russian unit and forced it to retreat. Following an alarm, reinforcements from border guards and the military arrived, he added.
"Thanks to the skillful actions of the Defense Forces, the enemy once again suffered losses and did not achieve its goal," Naiev commented.
Chernihiv Oblast lies at Ukraine's northern border with Russia and Belarus. It has been partially occupied during Russia's initial onslaught in February 2022, but the invading forces withdrew in April after the Kremlin's failure to take Kyiv.
Since then, settlements near the border in the oblast come under regular Russian strikes. Naiev previously reported an unsuccessful attempt by Russian sabotage groups to cross the border of Chernihiv Oblast on July 21.