They have links to Ukrainian military intelligence and, in some cases, to the far right
Members of two militias that oppose Vladimir Putin—the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Free Russia Legion—claimed to have “liberated” several border villages. The groups appear to be based in Ukraine, from where they mount their attacks. Russia says that the militias are a front for the Ukrainian army; Ukraine insists that they are composed of Russian dissidents. The reality is somewhere in between. Both militias do indeed recruit disaffected Russian nationals.
The Kremlin sought to downplay the embarrassing security breach. Russian officials described it as an attempt by Ukraine to “deflect attention” from what they claimed was their capture of the long-contested town of Bakhmut on May 20th . On May 23rd the Russian defence ministry claimed to have killed or expelled all the militia fighters from Belgorod, though it provided no evidence.
A Ukrainian intelligence source offers a more realistic assessment. Two ideas underpinned the operation in Belgorod, he says. The first was to undermine Mr Putin’s domestic authority: if a strongman can’t guarantee security, what is the point of him? The second was to pull Russian military reserves away from critical sections of the front line, in the run-up to a long-planned Ukrainian counter-offensive.
This is not the first foray by Ukraine-backed militias into Russian territory. The Free Russia Legion and Russian Volunteer Corps were formed last year, under opaque circumstances, but came to prominence this March when they spearheaded an incursion from Ukraine into Bryansk, another border region. Russia claimed that two civilians were killed in that attack, but offered no proof.
The two militias differ in organisation and ideology. The Free Russia Legion is more chaotic and closer to; the Russian Volunteer Corps is better disciplined but has far-right leanings. Andrei Chernak, a spokesman for, says that the “existential” danger Ukraine faces means that it cannot be too choosy about whom it collaborates with. Survival is Ukraine’s only focus, he said. “We are prepared to work with everyone.
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