Russia said two gunmen from a former Soviet state attacked a military training ground on Saturday, killing 11 people who had volunteered to fight in Ukraine and wounding 15 others.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the attack in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, happened during a firearms training session.
Russia launched a so-called special military operation in Ukraine at the end of February. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a mobilization of 300,000 Russians who had previously done military service.
“On October 15, two citizens of a CIS country committed an act of terrorism at a training ground of the West Military District in the Belgorod region,” state news agencies quoted the ministry as saying.
“As a result, 11 people were fatally injured. Another 15 people suffered injuries of varying severity and were taken to medical facilities.”
The two attackers “were killed by retaliatory fire,” the ministry added.
The CIS or Commonwealth of Independent States was formed between republics that were part of the Soviet Union.
Since partial mobilization was announced on September 21, more than 200,000 people have been drafted into the Russian armed forces.
The draft notice sparked protests and several attacks on recruitment agencies.
– Fierce fights –
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said on Saturday that his troops were facing a “highly difficult” situation near the eastern city of Bakhmut, which has been under attack by the Russian army for weeks.
Ukraine is retaking areas in both the east and south that have been occupied by Russia for months, but faces a major challenge in some areas.
“The situation in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions remains very serious,” said Zelenskyy, referring to two regions that Russia says it has annexed.
“Like in the past few days, it is most difficult near Bakhmut. We’re still holding our positions,” he said.
Russian troops have been attacking Bakhmut, a wine and salt mining town formerly populated by 70,000, for weeks in hopes of capturing the town.
Zelenskyy also said that Russia’s total losses are now approaching 65,000.
A soldier, just returned from the front, told AFP news agency they had been fighting non-stop for four days.
“Of the 13 boys in my group, we lost two soldiers and five were evacuated,” said 50-year-old Soldier “Poliak” of the 93rd Brigade.
“For days I didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, didn’t drink anything except coffee,” he added.
France, meanwhile, said it would train up to 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers on its soil.
Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu said France will also provide Ukraine with Crotale air defense systems “to enable it to defend its skies”.
– Repeated strikes –
Saturday’s attack at the Belgorod training ground is the latest in a series of incidents to hit the Russian region.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod, said earlier Saturday an oil depot was on fire after it was shelled. He posted a photo showing flames and plumes of black smoke rising above a building.
Last week, Russia lamented an increase in artillery and rocket attacks on its territory bordering Ukraine.
And on Friday, authorities said a Ukrainian strike had set fire to a power plant in the region’s capital, also known as Belgorod, and caused power outages.
This came a day after a rocket destroyed the top floor of an apartment building in the city of Belgorod without causing injuries.
An ammunition depot in the region was also destroyed on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, Russian officials said Ukrainian strikes had paralyzed electricity in the town of Shebekino in the same region. A 74-year-old woman died and several others were injured in the city.
