Six Killed In Ukrainian Missile Strikes On Russia’s Belgorod Region

At least six people were killed and four injured in Ukrainian missile strikes on Russia’s Belgorod region, including a 14-year-old child among the injured. At the same time, Russian drone strikes killed two people in Ukraine’s Sumy region. The attacks followed a major escalation in long-range drone and missile strikes by both sides. Russia has intensified attacks across Ukraine, while Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian territory with drones. Both countries accuse each other of attacking civilians, as the conflict continues to expand beyond the front lines.

At least six people have been killed and four others injured in overnight Ukrainian missile strikes on Russia’s Belgorod region, according to the region’s acting governor, Alexander Shuvaev.
A 14-year-old child was among those injured and was taken to hospital, while two other victims received medical treatment, Shuvaev said.
The strikes come amid a sharp escalation in long-range attacks between Russia and Ukraine, with both sides increasingly targeting areas far from the front line.

STRIKES HIT BORDER AREAS

The latest Ukrainian strikes reportedly damaged property and set a building on fire in the village of Koloskovo, in the Valuysky district near Russia’s border with Ukraine.
Russian officials said the attacks caused casualties and damage in the region, while emergency teams responded to the affected areas.
Ukraine did not immediately claim responsibility for the Belgorod strikes.

UKRAINE ALSO REPORTS RUSSIAN ATTACKS

At the same time, Ukrainian officials reported that two people were killed in Russian drone strikes on the Sumy region, which borders Russia.
Sumy has been repeatedly targeted since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The latest exchanges followed what Russian authorities described as the largest-scale Ukrainian attack of the year, with hundreds of drones reportedly launched towards Russian territory.

HUNDREDS OF DRONES TARGET RUSSIA

Russian authorities said Ukraine launched about 822 drones during Saturday night's attacks, including hundreds aimed at Moscow.
The Moscow regional governor described the assault as one of the most significant drone attacks on the capital in recent memory.
Several regions were affected. Five people were reportedly killed in Russia's Rostov region, while a woman was killed when a civilian bus came under attack in Belgorod. An 83-year-old man also died in a drone attack in the Moscow region.
A logistics facility belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries was also damaged.
Ukraine's Defence Ministry said repeated attacks had disabled seven of the company's 10 largest logistics centres.

RUSSIA STEPS UP ATTACKS ON UKRAINE

While Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes inside Russia, Moscow has also increased missile and drone attacks across Ukraine.
Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz said Russian forces had attacked its facilities 13 times in one week, adding to pressure on critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had launched more than 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 guided aerial bombs and 62 missiles against Ukraine during the week.
Russian officials said some of their attacks targeted Ukrainian military-related facilities, including a site they claimed was connected to the production of components for Ukrainian missiles and drones.

CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN ESCALATING WAR

The latest attacks demonstrate how the conflict is increasingly extending beyond traditional front lines.
Residential areas, civilian transport, commercial facilities and critical infrastructure have all been affected by the expanding use of long-range missiles and drones.
Both Moscow and Kyiv accuse the other of deliberately targeting civilians, while each side says its attacks are directed at military or strategic targets.
The escalation comes more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with Moscow still controlling roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
As both countries increase their ability to strike deep behind enemy lines, the risk to civilians on both sides of the border continues to grow.