Russia’s Belgorod region under attack – governor

17 Dec, 2023 13:43 / Updated 1 year ago
A gunfight between Russian and Ukrainian forces is underway in a border village, Vyacheslav Gladkov has said

The Russian village of Terebrino, in Belgorod Region, has been attacked by Ukrainian forces, local Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Sunday. The village is located just some 2km from the Ukrainian border.

Terebrino, as well as several other locations along the border, came under artillery fire, with a gun battle between Russian and Ukrainian troops erupting on its outskirts, the governor said. The shelling caused damage to power lines, disrupting the electricity supply to several other villages.

Gladkov did not elaborate on the size of the attacking force, stating only that the situation remains “under control” of the relevant authorities.

Southwestern Belgorod, along with other Russian regions bordering Ukraine, has repeatedly been struck during Moscow’s conflict with its neighbor, with border towns hit by drones, missiles and artillery.

The latest major incident came last Tuesday, when a Ukrainian Tochka-U tactical ballistic missile was shot down over the region. Russian officials have consistently charged that Ukraine is targeting civilian infrastructure along the border, which they have denounced as terrorism.

Ukrainian forces have also staged several minor raids into Russian territory, with Belgorod Region being one of the areas most affected. The incursions, however, have failed to produce any meaningful military impact, resulting only in civilian casualties for Russia and heavy losses for the attacking Ukrainian forces, according to Moscow.