Kiev’s forces have once again attacked Russia’s border Belgorod Region with drones, killing one person and injuring two others, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Saturday.
“We’ve had a rough morning,” Gladkov wrote on his Telegram channel, stating that unmanned aerial vehicles had attacked the Stary Oskol and Chernyansky districts, and that regional capital, Belgorod, was hit by artillery – resulting in damage to private houses and apartment buildings, and an unspecified number of casualties.
“Now the data is being clarified, I will definitely inform you a little later,” the governor wrote, stating that all construction and emergency services are working at the scene and containing fires, particularly at one private residential building.
Media reports have also stated that a business center in Belgorod was damaged in Saturday morning’s attack.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday morning that it had stopped several attempts by Kiev to carry out terrorist attacks using aircraft-type UAVs, and that air defense systems had intercepted 12 drones over several Russian territories, namely Bryansk, Belgorod, Voronezh and Saratov regions.
The ministry also stated that Ukrainian forces attempted to carry out a terrorist attack on Russian territories using Czech-made RM-70 Vampire multiple launch rocket systems. However, it reported that Russian air defense systems had thwarted the strike and destroyed 11 missiles over Belgorod Region.
Belgorod Region, along with other Russian territories bordering Ukraine, is frequently targeted by Kiev’s drones and artillery. One of the deadliest strikes in recent weeks occurred on December 30, killing 25 people and injuring more than 100 others in Belgorod.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Moscow could establish a “cordon sanitaire” on Kiev-controlled territories to protect the Russian population from indiscriminate strikes.