Russia has foiled an attempt by a group of Ukrainian fighters to cross the border into its western Bryansk region, the regional governor said. Bryansk is located to the west of the Kursk region, part of which remains under Ukrainian control following an incursion earlier this month.According to the regional governor, the Ukrainian raid was foiled on August 21 by Russian border guards and regular troops. “The enemy came under fire,” the official said, adding that “the situation is stable and under control.”Meanwhile, reports say that three companies of the Ukrainian National Guard have refused to obey orders to fight Russian forces in Donetsk. The men belonging to the 15th National Guard Brigade, led by their commanders, reportedly refused to carry out combat missions near Pokrovsk.A report by Strana news outlet cites servicemen saying that they arrived in the region with “a huge manpower shortage.” One serviceman is quoted as saying that “it was impossible to defend the positions, as Ukrainian troops were outnumbered 30 to one by the Russian forces.” The soldier also complained of the extremely poor cohesion and lack of communication within the ranks. The report says that Ukrainian troops then decided to retreat and were threatened with punishment by their commanders.
