Intensifying Conflict in Belgorod Region: Drone Strikes, Shelling, and Cross-Border Attacks
The ongoing conflict in Russia’s Belgorod region has escalated significantly for the past three days following a series of cross-border assaults by pro-Ukrainian Russian paramilitary groups. The region, situated near Ukraine’s eastern border, has been the target of numerous attacks resulting in casualties and destruction.
Local officials reported that at least two individuals were killed and several more sustained injuries due to Ukrainian strikes on the region. A tragic incident involved a driver who lost his life when his vehicle was hit by shelling.
Video footage captured from Belgorod depicted chaotic scenes of people navigating through thick smoke along a debris-strewn road, while buildings were seen damaged as a result of explosions. Residents were captured carrying their belongings amidst the sounds of sirens and distant blasts.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that they had successfully destroyed eight rocket-propelled grenades fired over Belgorod, and downed a total of 14 Ukrainian drones in the regions of Belgorod and Kursk.
Ukraine’s military forces conducted targeted strikes on at least three major oil refineries situated deep within Russian territory, specifically in the cities of Ryazan, Kstovo, and Kirishi. According to a Ukrainian defense source, these attacks were part of Ukraine’s well-planned strategy to weaken Russia’s economic potential.
Skirmishes persisted in villages located within the Belgorod and Kursk regions, with Russian pro-Ukrainian fighters reportedly launching a cross-border attack on Tuesday. The Freedom for Russia Legion, a group of Russian dissidents fighting for Ukraine, claimed responsibility for the seizure of the village of Tyotkino in Kursk region. Two other groups, the Siberian Battalion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), also acknowledged their role in the assault.
In a joint statement released on Thursday, these three pro-Kyiv groups stated that they aimed to “liberate” Russia from its authoritarian regime and continued their operations in the regions of Belgorod and Kursk.
An RDK fighter addressed residents of Belgorod and Kursk through a Telegram video, urging them to evacuate due to the lack of protective measures from their leadership and continued shelling of Ukrainian towns. He warned that his group would target military installations in these regions within a specific time frame following the video’s release, although no further information was provided on any subsequent actions taken.
The Russian Defense Ministry later claimed responsibility for inflicting heavy casualties upon the sabotage groups and destroying their military equipment in a preemptive strike. However, News Finder could not independently confirm either side’s claims.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the extent of clashes within border villages, drone strikes and shelling on Belgorod have noticeably increased over the past week. In an essay for News Finder last month, Ukraine’s then-army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi emphasized that drones represented “the best way for Ukraine to avoid being drawn into a positional war” of trench warfare and attrition.
