The Russian Defense Ministry revealed Saturday that in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian troops attempted to sabotage their way and infiltrate Russian territory bordering Belgorod and Kursk. As a result, nearly 30 Ukrainian troops were killed.

The ministry detailed in a statement that Russian units "inflicted a comprehensive fire attack on concentrations of enemy manpower and equipment. [Russian forces] repelled attacks and attempts by Ukrainian militant sabotage and reconnaissance groups to infiltrate into Russian territory from the Popivka locality in the Sumy Oblast and in the direction of the Spodariushino and Kozinka localities in the Belgorod Region."

Lancet vs Stryker. pic.twitter.com/TMlSc2oQok

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Kiev also lost 3 tanks, two armored combat vehicles, one Czech-made Vampire multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), and one Grad MLRS in the directions, according to the Russian ministry. 

Ukraine's last effort to cross into Russia's Belgorod and Kursk areas involved almost 2,500 servicemen, 35 tanks, and perhaps 40 armored vehicles.

Putin vows response to Ukrainian attacks on Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Friday that his military will retaliate to a series of Ukrainian attacks on his nation, as Russians cast their presidential votes.

During a televised meeting with his security council, the president vowed that such attacks "do not and will not go unpunished," expressing his certainty that the "Russian people will respond with great unity."

Putin said that the government in Kiev was attempting to attack populated areas and undertake other criminal acts to interrupt voting during the presidential election in Russia.

"The presidential election started. To disrupt the voting process, to intimidate people at least in the border regions, the Kiev regime has conceived and is trying to carry out a number of criminal actions."

He vowed that all who have been subjected to such attacks will receive support and noted that Kiev's efforts are intended to "disrupt the voting process, to intimidate people at least in the border regions."

Touching on Ukraine's failures, he expressed the belief that Ukraine's leadership was attempting to divert attention away from the fact that it was performing horribly on the battlefield and was "begging for money and all kinds of handouts in a humiliating way."

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He added that the Ukrainians were failing horribly and retracting with massive casualties.