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A group of pro-Ukrainian forces said on Friday (June 2) they were fighting Russian troops on the outskirts of a village just inside Russia's western border, a day after Moscow said it had repelled three cross-border attacks. The Freedom of Russia Legion said in a statement: “We have active fighting on the outskirts of the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka (in Belgorod region). Unfortunately, there are wounded legionnaires, but freedom is won through blood,“ Reuters was unable to verify the situation in Belgorod region. Speaking to Reuters in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday (June 1) a spokesman for the political wing of the Freedom of Russia Legion, Alexei Baranovsky, said the aim was to “liberate the Belgorod region first, then move deeper into Russia, possibly the Bryansk region, Kursk region, the ultimate goal is Moscow.“ Attacks on Russia, including a major incursion into its western Belgorod region on May 22-23, have increased in recent weeks, as Ukraine prepares to launch a big push to recapture tracts of Russian-occupied land in its east and south. The group, and the Russian Volunteer Corps founded by a far-right Russian national, say they are anti-Kremlin Russian volunteer fighters attacking Russia under their own steam, and not on the orders of Ukraine, which denies involvement. Russia says the groups are “terrorists“ acting as proxies for Ukraine, and that two people were killed and two others injured in what they said was Ukrainian shelling of Belgorod region. The Freedom of Russia Legion denied that and blamed Russia for the shelling, posting images on Telegram of what it said was one of its tanks in the Russian village of Novaya Tavolzhanka and several soldiers taking cover behind a wall during a gunfight. The attacks aim to stretch Russian defenses and force Moscow to divert troops from inside Ukraine to shore up the border, Baranovsky said. “One of our tactical aims is to draw Russian troops from other parts of the Ukrainian front,“ he said in an interview in Warsaw, Poland. “That's one aim, the other is to show Russians that a different country is possible, that an armed group has appeared that is ready to struggle for freedom. We want people to join us,“ he said. He said that his unit was part of Ukraine's foreign legion which is controlled by the Ukrainian military, but that the chain of command no longer applied to Russian volunteer fighters once they enter Russian territory. The Sun newspaper brings you the latest breaking news videos and explainers from the UK and around the world Become a Sun Subscriber and hit the bell to be the first to know Read The Sun: Like The Sun on Facebook: Follow The Sun on Twitter: Subscribe to The Sun on Snapchat: #ukraine #russia #war
