Russia says it’s fighting a cross-border attack by Ukrainian forces. Kyiv officials have no comment

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian authorities claimed that a Ukrainian force launched an incursion on Tuesday into Russia's Kursk region but was being beaten back by troops and local border guards.

The Russian Defense Ministry said as many as 300 Ukrainian troops, supported by 11 tanks and more than 20 armored combat vehicles, attacked Russian border positions in the area of Nikolayevo-Daryino and Oleshnya in the Kursk region.

It claimed that six Ukrainian tanks, four armored personnel carriers and six other armored vehicles were destroyed in the fighting.

The Russian report could not be independently verified. Disinformation and propaganda have played a central role in the war, now in its third year.

Responsibility for previous incursions, into Russia's Belgorod and Bryansk regions, have been claimed by two murky groups: the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion.

The Russian statement claimed the Ukrainian forces belonged to the army's 22nd Mechanized Brigade, but also referred to them as "fighters" rather than "soldiers."

Contacted by The Associated Press, the brigade said it had no comment. The Freedom of Russia Legion also said it was not commenting.

The Ukrainian General Staff and Ministry of Defense did not immediately reply to questions.

The acting governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, said a total of 26 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the area during the night.

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