Russia: Two people died in the attack in the border area of ​​Ukraine

Two civilians were killed and two wounded on Friday in bombings in the Russian region of Belgorod, bordering Ukraine, where the capital Kiev faced a sixth wave of attacks in six days.

The Belgorod region has been targeted for days by attacks of unprecedented intensity on Russian territory since the conflict began in Ukraine last year.

On Friday, the regional governor said that shells fired by the Ukrainian military had hit a road near the town of Chebykino, located about ten kilometers from Ukraine and frequently bombarded.

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on a telegram, “Shrapnel hit passing cars. Two women (…) were killed in one of them.”

Mr. Gladkov said two people in another vehicle were injured and were hospitalized in serious condition.

– Displaced Residents –

Attacks on Belgorod have intensified in recent days, as Kiev says it is preparing to launch a major offensive against areas held by Russian forces in Ukraine.

On Thursday, the Russian army claimed to have repelled a Ukrainian attempt to “invade” Belgorod with its artillery and air force, a week after a spectacular offensive by armed men sent shockwaves across Russia.

These attacks on Russian soil were claimed by groups of Russian volunteers fighting for Kiev and Ukrainian officials denied any involvement.

Faced with this rain of shelling, residents of the Belgorod region, especially the city of Chebyakino, which had 40,000 inhabitants before the conflict, fled and were housed in makeshift reception centres.

Governor Gladkov said on Friday that more than 2,500 people had already been accommodated in temporary housing centers in the region, particularly in the regional capital, also known as Belgorod.

Early Friday, several Ukrainian drones were also shot down near Kursk, another Russian city near Ukraine, according to the region’s governor, who told residents to “remain calm.”

– Kyiv still targeted –

A new wave of explosive drones and missiles hit Ukraine’s capital Kiev in the early hours of Friday, its mayor Vitali Klitschko said, adding that no casualties had been reported. This is the sixth attack on the Ukrainian capital in as many days.

“Tonight the enemy used 15 cruise missiles and 18 Iranian + martyr + attack drones to attack – all these air targets were destroyed by our defenders,” Ukraine’s military said on Facebook.

“During the past days, the enemy launched 12 missile attacks on Kiev (destroyed by our defenders) and two S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles on Kharkiv, using ten + Iskander + type ballistic and cruise missiles.” she explains.

Russia has been increasing drone and missile attacks on Kiev since early May, often at night, a tactic condemned by Ukraine as aimed at terrorizing the civilian population.

At least three people, including a child, were killed in one of these attacks in Kiev on Thursday morning.