"The reconnaissance... [Russian] troops discovered the concentration of forces and sabotage and reconnaissance groups of Ukrainian neo-Nazis in the forest area of the border area with the Belgorod region. With a high-precision pre-emptive strike, the enemy manpower and equipment were destroyed in a timely manner," the statement said.
Ukraine lost up to 40 military personnel in the border area of the Ukrainian territory near the Russian village of Kozinka in the Belgorod Region, them ministry said.
"As a result of air strikes and artillery fire on clusters of manpower and equipment of the armed forces of Ukraine in the border regions of Ukraine near the village of Kozinka, the Belgorod Region, the enemy lost up to 40 military personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles and three vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.
The Russian armed forces continue to take measures to prevent the penetration of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Ukrainian armed forces into the border territory, the ministry said.