A group of pro-Ukraine forces said Friday they were fighting Russian troops on the outskirts of a village right on Russia’s western border, a day after Moscow said it had repelled three cross-border attacks.

The attacks followed a major incursion into Russia’s western Belgorod region on May 22-23 and an increase in cross-border shelling in recent weeks as Ukraine prepares to launch a major offensive to retake Russian-held territory in the east and south.

“Active fighting is taking place on the outskirts of the village of Nova Tavolzhanka (Belhorod Region). Unfortunately, there are wounded legionnaires, but freedom is won with blood,” the Russian Legion of Freedom said in a statement.

Earlier on Friday morning, the group published a photo accompanied by the message: “Our tank with the flag of “Free Russia” in the village of Nova Tavolzhanka near Shebekino. Good morning from our Motherland! Let’s continue the fight!”

They also posted a short video on social media, which they said showed the strike they carried out on the concentration of Russian troops in Shebekino.

In recent days, Russian officials have reported an increase in attacks in northern Ukraine. The Ministry of Defense reported that its forces repelled three cross-border attacks by Ukrainian “terrorist formations” in the Belgorod region on Thursday.

Ukraine denies its military involvement in the invasions and says they are being led by Russian volunteer fighters.

The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region said on Friday that two people were killed and two others were injured as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces on a road in the town of Maslova Prystan, near the border with Ukraine.