Putin: All Attempts by Ukrainian Sabotage Groups to Break Through Russian Border Have Failed

The Kiev regime has resorted to the use of "terrorist methods" of warfare, but all of its recent attempts to break through the border into Russia have failed, President Vladimir Putin has said.

"All attempts by sabotage and terrorist gangs consisting of regular enemy units and foreign mercenaries...to break into our territory have failed," Putin said, speaking at a meeting with FSB officials on Tuesday.

Characterizing those enemy forces involved in these operations as "scum," Putin called on the Russian domestic intelligence service not to forget about those Russian "traitors" who joined Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempting to penetrate the border.

The sabotage groups' goal was to carry out a successful "terrorist raid," but instead they suffered heavy losses, Putin said.

"The most important and intense part of your work today of course is associated with the special military operation. The range of tasks here is the broadest," Putin said, elaborating that these range from the neutralization of enemy agents, terrorists, and sabotage groups to "successful operations on the front lines and in the enemy's rear," as well as "counterintelligence support for military units and formations."

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The president added that the trace of Western intelligence services is clearly visible behind manifestations of terrorism and extremism in Russia today.

"Much depends on our counter-intelligence organs. This applies both to the sphere of anti-terrorism and the fight against extremism, manifestations of which are often accompanied by the 'protruding ears' of Western intelligence services, and other important areas. We're talking here about the neutralization of the reconnaissance and subversive activities of foreign intelligence services, the protection of confidential information of a strategic nature, including state and military control systems, advanced technologies, and promising groundwork in the defense and other spheres," Putin said.

"From the FSB and employees of all Russian special services, the people of Russia are expecting tremendous concentration and great dedication, effective and offensive operations," Putin said, calling on the intelligence services to "seriously strengthen" their anti-terrorist operations across "all areas," in the "understanding that we are dealing with a strong and dangerous enemy whose arsenal includes broad informational, technical, and financial capabilities."

The Russian military, FSB border troops, and other security forces have waged a week-long campaign to secure the border along the special operation zone after Ukrainian forces launched a brazen attempt to break into Russia's Belgorod and Kursk regions. Russia's Defense Ministry said the campaign resulted in heavy losses for the attacking forces, and that the assault had been "decisively repelled." On Saturday, the MoD reported a new effort to penetrate the border. The past 24 hours have witnessed a series of preemptive strikes in Ukrainian territory, including in the Chernigov region, against concentrations of potential sabotage units.

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The attacks in Belgorod and Kursk come amid dwindling NATO arms aid for Kiev, and successful Russian efforts to gradually push through heavily fortified Ukrainian defenses in Donbass, in recent months.