‘The More Chaos, the Better’: How the Belgorod ‘Incursion’ Went Down on the Streets of Kyiv

In what was the most serious and significant attack on Russian soil since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion. A group of anti-Putin Russian nationals this week crossed the border from Ukraine and caused two days of absolute chaos in the Belgorod region.

Russia was forced to deploy jets and artillery to fight off the armed attackers, exposing weaknesses on Moscow’s frontier and causing much embarrassment for the Kremlin.

Here in Kyiv, news of the unfolding events went down a storm.

“The Russians invaded our territory, so this is the logical course of the war,” 30-year-old Dmytro tells Kyiv Post.

“Those people who did it are against the war. They want to stop the violence. They want to stop the tyrant. There should be such actions.”

In a press conference on Wednesday, the Russian nationals fighting on Ukraine’s side hailed the incursion as a “success,” with the founder of the Russian Volunteer Corps, Denis Kapustin, known as “White Rex,” saying: “Every operation that takes place on the territory of Russia forces the military leadership to move a large amount of forces precisely to that quadrant, therefore laying bare some parts of the front, parts of the border.”

The value of the operation and the fact it was carried out by Russian forces on their own soil was not lost among Ukrainians.

“If it were Ukrainians, I would not approve,” 29-year-old Andriy says. “Yes, we are at war and have a moral right to attack the enemy, but our international partners rely more on our defensive and protective functions.

Other Topics of Interest

Shift in Ukrainian Attitudes Toward War Endurance as Belief in Russia’s Resources Grows

Between February and October 2023, the proportion of Ukrainians who believe Russia retains substantial resources for a prolonged war against Ukraine nearly doubled, rising from 22% to 49%.

Andriy

“And occupying the territory of other states is not defensive. I think, transferring the war on their territory can trigger a chain reaction of other processes.

“Russia can present this as a legitimate reason for total mobilization or the use of nuclear weapons.”

Although officials in Kyiv have denied all knowledge of the incursion, some people with whom Kyiv Post spoke suspect Ukraine had some role in the events.

“Ukraine is probably advising them,” 32-year-old Olena says. “I was glad when I heard about the attack. I’m sure that these are the Russians who still have a brain.

“They realize that their country could fall apart, and I think it will. And they know that Ukraine’s victory is the best solution for Russia itself.

“The RDK [Russian Volunteer Corps] and the [Freedom of Russia] Legion are fighting terrorism on their territory.”

Olena

This view was echoed by 35-year-old Serhiy, a member of Ukraine’s armed forces who insisted you “can’t negotiate with terrorism,” adding: “You fight it.”

On Wednesday, Russia’s defense ministry said it would respond to any future incursions “extremely harshly” and insisted all the remaining fighters had been driven back across the border.

But the damage had already been done – the fighters had shown just how easy it was to cross into Russian territory and sow chaos.

Andriy concluded: “The worse the situation is for my enemy, the more chaos they have and the more problems, the better for my country.”