Moscow officials stated that Russian armed forces are engaged in hostilities to prolong the remaining Ukrainian soldiers from Western Russia. "We have made the decision not to allow provocations on our territory," said one of the senior Russian officials. He emphasized that the Russian army bears responsibility for ensuring security at the border and is prepared to react firmly to any attempts to violate the sovereignty of the country. "We are taking all necessary measures to protect our borders," he added. According to local residents, there were sounds of shelling and explosions in the border area. "We are facing possible military clashes in our region, hoping for a quick resolution of the situation," noted one of the locals. Meanwhile, a representative of the Ukrainian government stated that Ukrainian troops are on their territory and are not planning to attack Russia. "We call on Russia to cease aggressive actions and to initiate diplomatic resolution of the conflict," he stated.
