Russian Ministry of Defense. (Source: Anadolu)

On its Telegram channel, the Russian Defense Ministry said that about 300 soldiers of the 22nd Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine, supported by 11 tanks and more than 20 armored fighting vehicles, attacked Russian border defense positions near the settlements of Nikolaevo-Daryino and Oleshnya.

Russian border defense units and the Federal Security Service (FSB) border guards repelled attacks and returned heavy fire on Ukrainian forces at the border and in the Sumy region, destroying 16 armored vehicles - including 6 tanks, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 4 armored personnel carriers, 3 Kozak armored fighting vehicles and 1 engineering vehicle.

The situation on the border with Ukraine is under control, but remains tense with some fighting in the Sudzhansky and Korenevsky districts, said acting Kursk Governor Alexey Smirnov. The entire Kursk region has been put on air defense alert several times.

On his Telegram channel, Mr. Smirnov also called on local residents to remain calm and not to panic over provocative information. Local authorities have set up an operations office and emergency management agencies have been put on a 24-hour enhanced operation mode.

According to him, 18 people were injured in the attacks, while Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova said on Telegram that six children were injured in the attacks.

On Moscow's side, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova spoke on Sputnik Radio, accusing Ukraine of targeting civilians, as well as residential areas where people are living peacefully.