Russia claims border entry in Chernihiv region - Ukraine Border Guards clarify situation
Photo: SRG infiltrated Chernihiv region and installed a tricolor near the border (Getty Images)
Russian propagandists spread information about allegedly entering the village of Hremiach in the Chernihiv region. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (DPSU) denied this, stating that a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group (SRG) had placed a flag near the border on a destroyed bridge over the Sudos River.
More information - in the RBC-Ukraine's material below.
What Russians said about so-called invasion of Chernihiv region
According to the information circulating on social media, Russian forces allegedly crossed the border into the Chernihiv region. The reports were backed by a video that was geo-located by Radio Free Europe.
Journalists have established that two Russian invaders likely acted as part of a larger group. They set up a Russian flag on a bridge over the Sudost River near the border town of Hremiach.
Additionally, Russian military bloggers claimed that the Russians had allegedly entered the villages of Hremiach and Murashky in the Novhorod-Siverskyi district of the Chernihiv region and placed their tricolors there.
Geolocation of two Russian soldiers entering Ukrainian territory, likely as part of a larger group, and placing a Russian flag on the bridge over the Sudost River near Hrem'yach (coordinates: 52.3394, 33.3058). @GeoConfirmed Video source: https://t.co/h8WdwfNCvL pic.twitter.com/88qVvMSbdp
— Mark Krutov (@kromark) November 15, 2024
SBGS clarifies what happened
In a comment to RBC-Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, explained that the threat from Russian SRGs has not disappeared, especially in the Chernihiv region. Although their activity has decreased recently, Russia has not abandoned the use of SRGs, including for psychological warfare purposes.
"Today, Ukrainian defenders in the Chernihiv region discovered a Russian tricolor flag placed near the border on the destroyed bridge over the Sudos River. The statement by Russian propagandists that the SRG entered the town of Hremiach is not true," Demchenko said.
He explained that the Russian diversions did not cross the bridge where they placed the flag. Rivers essentially cut off the area where the SRG operated, and there are no residents in the towns situated between the rivers and the border.
"Moreover, due to constant flooding in that area, it is impossible to build proper fortifications. The Ukrainian Defense Forces fully control this direction and are in the most advantageous positions to hold the defense," Demchenko added.
He also noted that the necessary additional resources from the Ukrainian Defense Forces have been deployed in the area, and anti-sabotage reserves are in operation.
"Therefore, it is important not to succumb to the enemy's information-psychological influence. Ukrainian defenders have destroyed and will continue to destroy the enemy and their saboteurs," Demchenko concluded.
Photo: Hremiach on the DeepState map (screenshot)
It is worth noting that a sabotage and reconnaissance group (SRG) is a small special forces unit used for reconnaissance and sabotage behind enemy lines during wartime and pre-war periods. The aim of SRGs is to disrupt rear-line operations, destroy or temporarily disable important industrial facilities, military sites, transportation, and communication systems, and gather intelligence on the enemy.
Russian SRGs continue to attempt infiltration into Ukraine’s border areas, particularly active in the Sumy region.
