Russian National guard soldier killed in attack by unknown assailants; probe ordered

Russia’s Investigative Committee on Saturday announced that a Russian National Guard soldier has died of his injuries in hospital after he and some of the other Russian soldiers were attacked by unknown assailants. In a Telegram update, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that it has launched a "criminal probe" into the assault to identify the perpetrators who attacked Russian soldiers. RIC derided the incident, as it condemned the attack that led to the death of the service member of Russia.

“According to the information at hand, yesterday in the Sudzhansky district of Kursk region unknown individuals attacked Rosgvardia personnel,” the officials said in the post. 

Incident occurred approximately ten kilometres from Russian-Ukrainian border

The armed assault on the Russian National Guard soldier took place in the area located approximately ten kilometres from the Russian-Ukrainian border. It remains unclear if the Russian Investigation Committee hinted at the Ukrainian involvement. There have been several conflicting takes on the incident on the Russian Telegram channels about the incident. In one such claim, Russian Channel Mash reported that Russian national guard service members attempted to halt a "suspicious-looking van" at a military checkpoint.

The occupants of the van opened fire on the soldiers. Reporters of another Russian press service Baza said that the National Guard of the Russian Federation or Rosgvardiya pursued armed men in a forest. An intense shootout battle ensued during which the Russian National Guard soldier sustained critical injuries. The armed assailants fled the scene. The region has been on heightened terror alert since Russia invaded Ukraine and has witnessed heavy shelling from across the border and several sabotage attempts. 

The Kursk region’s governor, Roman Starovoyt posted a video message on his own Telegram channel, saying that an operational-search activity had begun in the Sudzhansky district to nab the perpetrators. "If you notice suspicious persons or objects, please promptly report to number 112," he said.  The incident occurred following Russia’s Defense Ministry's announced Saturday that it was withdrawing the troops from two areas in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region where a Ukrainian counteroffensive made significant gains in the Russian-occupied regions. “The Russian army in these days is demonstrating the best that it can do — showing its back,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address. “And, of course, it’s a good decision for them to run.”