Deaths, destruction and huge fires are the outcome of the mutual Russian and Ukrainian bombardment during the past hours
At least four people have been killed in Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod border region in the past 24 hours, the region’s governor said Tuesday.
Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a Telegram post, “A very difficult 24 hours have passed for the Belgorod region… Four people died and 20 were injured, 17 of whom remain in medical facilities, including two in critical condition, while huge fires broke out at two power substations and an oil depot,” he said.
The mayor of Belgorod, the region’s administrative capital, had earlier announced that Ukrainian forces had carried out overnight attacks across the region.
Valentan Demidov said on Telegram that the Ukrainian armed forces continue to attack the villages of the Belgorod region.
Russian officials reported attacks in other areas in the west, including Kursk, Voronezh, Volgograd, Rostov and Astrakhan.
The Russian Defense Ministry said 38 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight in areas near the border.
“Operational air defense systems destroyed and intercepted three drones over the Belgorod region, seven over the Kursk region, two over the Voronezh region, 21 over Rostov and five over the Astrakhan region,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a Telegram post.
Astrakhan Governor Igor Babushkin said Ukraine had made a large-scale attempt to attack targets with drones in the north of the region, stressing that the attack was successfully countered.
The attack came a day after Russian rocket attacks on Monday on Ukraine killed at least 37 people, including three children, and wounded more than 170, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The strikes damaged about 100 buildings, including schools and a children’s hospital.
Russian news agencies also reported that Astrakhan and Volgograd airports restricted flights on Tuesday after a Ukrainian drone attack.
Russia’s defense ministry said earlier that air defense systems had destroyed 38 drones launched by Ukraine overnight over several Russian regions.
US President Joe Biden on Monday condemned Russian air strikes that left people dead in Ukraine, vowing to take new measures to strengthen Kiev’s air defenses.
Biden, who will host a NATO summit in Washington from Tuesday attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a statement, “Together with our allies, we will announce new measures to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses to help protect their cities and civilians from Russian strikes”.
“The Russian missile strikes that today killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians and caused damage and injuries to Kiev’s largest children’s hospital are a horrific reminder of Russia brutality,” he said.
“It’s important that the world continues to stand with Ukraine at this important moment and not ignore Russian aggression,” Biden said in his statement.
Stressing that the United States stands with the Ukrainian people, Biden said that he would meet this week with Zelensky to make clear that our support for Ukraine is unwavering.
