Kremlin official suggests supplying volunteers with arms in Belgorod ... a city that borders Ukraine

Providing weapons to units of territorial defence in Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, is legal and is being done due to the current situation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 2.

"Everything is carried out in strict accordance with the legislation, and, of course, it is carried out in connection with the situation that exists on earth in this border region. These are measures that are necessary against the background of attacks, assaults that are carried out from the territory of Ukraine," Peskov told a news conference in Moscow, Anadolu informs.

The spokesman stressed that "all (arms) control mechanisms are being very carefully implemented" in order to mitigate the risks of illegal arms proliferation.

In a separate statement, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described the situation in the region as "complicated," and announced the decision to provide volunteer units with weapons such as assault rifles, anti-drone guns and Russian off-road UAZ vehicles.

Specialists from the regular army also carried out a master class for the volunteer units on how to operate drones.

Territorial defence forces in the Belgorod region, which has been hit by cross-border attacks in recent months, have about 3,000 personnel and seven battalions.