Russian media falsely report Ukrainian offensive on Belgorod Oblast. Security official denies this
Russian propaganda outlets and military correspondents began spreading claims of a supposed Ukrainian offensive targeting Belgorod Oblast, alleging that Ukrainian forces moved equipment and personnel to the border near Belgorod and Kursk oblasts overnight on Monday.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, dismissed the reports.
"They made it up themselves and ‘won’ themselves, as Russians often do," he said in a Telegram post.
The claims coincided with a large-scale drone attack on Belgorod, though Ukrainian long-range drones have struck various Russian regions almost nightly.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described the border situation as "difficult," citing intense shelling and UAV activity.
Kovalenko noted that skirmishes along the border, including enemy sabotage groups from Belgorod Oblast and artillery exchanges, have been ongoing throughout the full-scale war.
He suggested Russia’s escalation of such narratives aligns with strategic timing.
"It’s no surprise they’re hyping this before a Trump-Putin call. Their main information strategy is to blame Ukraine for refusing to end the war, though they’re the ones attacking on the front and from the air, and Putin’s delaying Trump’s ceasefire proposal. It’s primitive but typical for Russians," said Kovalenko.
On August 6, 2024, Ukraine brought the war to Russian soil with the Kursk operation, controlling several settlements and the town of Sudzha.
By March 2025, Russia intensified efforts in Kursk Oblast, reclaiming Sudzha.
Russian propagandists now claim Ukrainian forces there are encircled—a falsehood repeated by Trump but refuted by President Zelenskyy, Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi, and Defense Minister Umerov.
Umerov also affirmed Ukraine’s intent to continue offensive operations in Russia.
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