Three dead as Ukrainian barrage hits residential buildings in Russia’s Belgorod – governor (VIDEOS)
A “large-scale” Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Belgorod in western Russia has killed three civilians and wounded 25 others, including two children aged four and nine, acting regional governor Aleksandr Shuvayev said on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Shuvayev reported only 13 injured as Ukrainian UAVs hit residential buildings but later provided updated information that three residents had died. “No words can ease this pain for their loved ones,” he wrote, adding, “We all share your grief and mourn with you.”
One of the wounded children was hospitalized, with injuries assessed as non-life threatening, Shuvayev said. Thirteen adults also remain hospitalized, one of whom is in extremely serious condition, he added, saying all necessary medical assistance was being provided.
The governor said the strikes sparked fires at two apartment blocks, a private house and several parked cars, all of which were extinguished by emergency crews. He added that a number of apartment buildings, administrative buildings, and “social and commercial sites” were damaged.
According to Shuvayev, Ukrainian forces also struck the wider Belgorod region, using artillery, aircraft and multiple rocket launch systems, over the course of the day, with nine more people wounded outside Belgorod. Russian air defenses downed or jammed 162 drones over the area, he added.
Belgorod Region, which borders Ukraine, has repeatedly come under drone and missile attacks throughout the conflict.
Videos circulating on Telegram show extensive damage to apartment blocks.
A drone struck near the roof of a high-rise residential complex, damaging several apartments.
Ukraine has stepped up strikes deep inside Russia in recent months, targeting energy facilities and warehouses operated by Wildberries, Russia’s equivalent of Amazon. Kiev has also launched a campaign to cut off supplies to Crimea, hitting civilian trucks and passenger buses in the process.
Russia considers such strikes acts of terrorism and has accused Western countries that supply Ukraine with drone components of enabling indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
