Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had stopped a significant Ukrainian ground assault from entering Russia’s Belgorod Oblast, a claim that Ukraine swiftly denied as a propaganda effort.

Recent geolocated photos indicate that Ukrainian forces advanced along the international border south and southwest of the Russian village of Demidovka and southwest of the village of Grafovka. On March 18,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on the Russian Defence Ministry's claim that the Ukrainian Armed Forces entered the territory of Belgorod Oblast on 18 March. Source: Zelenskyy at an online press conference;