Moscow claims to have killed five Ukrainian soldiers who entered Russia

Russia claimed it killed five Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed two military vehicles that crossed into its territory on Monday in an alleged incident that would be the first direct confrontation since Russia mobilized its forces toward the Ukrainian border for a possible invasion.

The Russian Army's southern military district said that a "diversionary reconnaissance group" was discovered at 6:00 a.m. on Monday near the border village of Mityakinskaya.

Russian forces "destroyed both Ukrainian combat vehicles with anti-tank weapons," the statement added, claiming that five members who crossed the border into the Russian Federation were killed. However, Russia did not provide any evidence to back up its claims.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter that Ukraine had not sent "saboteur" soldiers or armored vehicles toward Russia and had no plans to do so either.

"Russia, stop your fake goods factory, now," Kuleba tweeted.

No, Ukraine did NOT:

❌Attack Donetsk or Luhansk
❌Send saboteurs or APCs over the Russian border
❌Shell Russian territory
❌Shell Russian border crossing
❌Conduct acts of sabotage

Ukraine also does NOT plan any such actions.

Russia, stop your fake-producing factory now.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 21, 2022

"Not a single one of our soldiers has crossed the border into the Russian Federation and none has died today," Anton Gerashchenko, a senior commander of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, told reporters.

As tensions continue on the Ukrainian border, Russia has been conducting large-scale strategic military exercises.

On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw new military exercises, calling the country’s new weapons "invincible" and capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

"The planned targets during the strategic deterrence forces exercises were fully met. All missiles hit the set targets," the Russian government said in a statement cited by Swissinfo.