Russia is alleging that a group of foreign military saboteurs has been killed trying to breach and attack Russian territory with Western-supplied weapons.

The country’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has presented what is calling clear evidence that the heavily armed infiltrators into Russia’s Bryansk region were foreign fighters, from nations including the United States, Canada, and Poland.

Illustrative: TASS

“FSB border guards, together with the units of Russia’s armed forces and the National Guard, thwarted an attempt to cross over the Russian state border in the Klimovsky district on Oct. 27,” the Russian law enforcement body stated.

It said there were four “eliminated saboteurs” who were not Ukrainian, and possessed explosive devices along with foreign equipment and weapons.

State news agencies on Monday and Tuesday widely shared footage showing a Canadian flag and a Polish-language prayer book which some of the armed men were carrying. These items were displayed next the body of one of the alleged saboteurs.

Graphic photos and footage also featured a close-up of a tattoo of angel wings on a deceased man’s arm. The FSB alleged this is evidence that he a member of the United States Army Rangers, as the tattoo featured a banner reading “Ranger” and “2d Bn”—an apparent reference to the 2nd Battalion of the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment.

Russian state media has circulated the following video (warning–graphic & disturbing content):

🇺🇸🇺🇦🇷🇺 US ranger attacked Russia!

The FSB released a video showing the prevention of an attempt to violate the Russian state border in the Bryansk region involving foreign saboteurs from North America.

The FSB also shows a photo of a killed soldier with a tattoo of the elite… pic.twitter.com/lYP70dydUL

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) October 28, 2024

The following is RT’s description of the footage: “In a graphic follow-up video released on Tuesday, the agency showed three half-naked, tattoo-covered bodies of alleged mercenaries lying next to an arsenal of Western-made weapons, including what appeared to be more than a dozen Swedish-made AT4 portable anti-tank missile systems, Claymore anti-personnel mines, a light machine gun, grenades and explosive packages, as well as a large stockpile of small arms ammunition.” Two large Canadian flags were also said to have been recovered.

Bryansk region has been on high alert for cross-border attacks, especially given the large Ukrainian offensive which has unfolded in neighboring Kursk since early August. This certainly isn’t the first time Russia has alleged foreign fighters from the West are embedded with Ukraine forces, but this does appear to the first instance of Western fighters being killed while trying to enter Russia.

None of these allegations have been confirmed by the US, Canada, or Poland as of yet. Typically Western governments have not commented when their citizens are captured or killed in Ukraine. France and its Foreign Legion is also believed to have a significant contingent of troops inside Ukraine. This has been a source of ratcheting tensions between Paris and Washington.