RIGHT SPEAK: Anti-Putin militia claims to have overrun RUssian border village; Fighting for Bakhmut continues, UKRaine's artillery units strike 3 clusters of RU personnel and equipment; UKR aims to encircle Bakhmut; Belgorod Region, RU Invaded (Video): By Other RUs! RU Volunteer Corps, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

Anti-Putin militia claims to have overrun Russian border village:

Self-described Russian partisans the Freedom of Russia Legion say they launched cross-border raid

Fighting has broken out along the Russian border with Ukraine after self-described Russian partisan forces launched a cross-border raid and claimed to have overrun a border village for the first time in the war.

The Freedom of Russia Legion, which describes itself as an anti-Kremlin militia seeking to liberate Russia from Vladimir Putin, claimed to have crossed the border and overrun the settlement of Kozinka, while sending units into the town of Grayvoron in Russia’s Belgorod region.

Footage of the raid, purportedly from a border checkpoint in Grayvoron, has shown casualties, including video of a Russian officer lying facedown in a pool of blood next to Russian passports and other documents scattered on the floor. The video also showed armoured vehicles appearing to overrun the post.

Another anti-Kremlin militia, the Russian Volunteer Corps, which is led by a prominent Russian nationalist, also said it had taken part in the raid. Late on Monday, it released video footage showing what it said was a fighter inspecting a captured armoured vehicle.

Smoke was also reportedly seen after unconfirmed reports that a drone had been used to drop explosives on an office of the FSB security service.

Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that eight people were wounded in the town after it came under Ukrainian artillery fire. Most residents had left the area, but the situation remained “tense”, he said.

In nearby Zamostye village, a projectile hit a kindergarten and caused a fire. One woman was wounded in her hand, Gladkov said.

The growing chaos in Belgorod region, where local authorities announced a “counterterrorist regime” on Monday evening, was a rare case where Russian villages have come face-to-face with a conflict that the country’s army has unleashed across Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukrainian officials have confirmed fighting at the border. --->READ MORE HERE

Stock photo: Getty Images

Fighting for Bakhmut continues, Ukraine's artillery units strike 3 clusters of Russian personnel and equipment – General Staff report

As of the evening of 22 May, Russian occupation forces are continuing to focus their main efforts on the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka fronts. Fighting for the city of Bakhmut continues.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 22 May

Quote from the General Staff: "Over the course of the day, a total of 25 meeting engagements occurred on the aforementioned fronts [i.e., the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka fronts – ed.]. Bakhmut and Marinka remain at the epicentre of hostilities."

Details: The operational situation on the Volyn and Polissia fronts remains much the same as before. There is no evidence that Russia is forming new offensive units in the area.

On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, Russian forces are continuing to maintain their presence in areas near the Russian-Ukrainian border. Throughout the day, they deployed mortars and artillery to fire on Tymonovychi, Halahanivka and Zarichchia (Chernihiv Oblast); Hodyne, Hirky, Budky, Katerynivka, Tymofiivka and Oleksandrivka (Sumy Oblast); and Morozova Dolyna, Shevchenka, Kozacha Lopan, Hoptivka, Lukiantsi, Zelene, Starytsia, Hatyshche, Pletenivka, Vovchansk, Varvarivka, Nesterne, Budarky and Chuhunivka (Kharkiv Oblast).

On the Kupiansk front, Russian forces conducted airstrikes on areas in and around Orlianske, Kyslivka and Tabaivka (Kharkiv Oblast). They deployed mortars and artillery to fire on Kamianka, Fyholivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Kupiansk, Husynka, Tabaivka and Berestove (Kharkiv Oblast) and Stelmakhivka (Luhansk Oblast).

On the Lyman front, Russian aircraft struck areas in the vicinity of Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and Verkhnokamianske (Donetsk Oblast), and shelled several frontline civilian settlements, including Nevske and Bilohorivka (Luhansk Oblast) and Torske, Vesele and Spirne (Donetsk Oblast). --->READ MORE HERE