Russia’s southern Belgorod region recently faced a series of attacks from Ukrainian artillery fire, mortar shells, and drones. The assault occurred just days after one of the most audacious cross-border attacks since the beginning of the war. Prior to this incident, two drones targeted a Russian city in a region adjacent to the annexed Crimea Peninsula.
The violence escalated further as the Kremlin’s forces launched an attack on a medical clinic in Dnipro, located in central Ukraine, resulting in the death of a 69-year-old civilian and another passer-by. Over 20 people, including two children, were wounded in the attack. In addition, a Russian S-300 missile struck a dam in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk province, placing nearby settlements at risk of severe flooding.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the Dnipro blast as a war crime, expressing his condemnation on Twitter. Al Jazeera correspondent Natacha Butler reported multiple missile and drone strikes throughout Ukraine overnight. The intensification of attacks on Ukraine is seen as a response to the country’s anticipated counteroffensive.
The town of Grayvoron in the Belgorod region, situated approximately seven kilometers from the Ukrainian border, was particularly affected during the assault. Several houses, a store, a car, a gas pipeline, and a power line sustained damage. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov confirmed the extent of the destruction. In the nearby village of Glotovo, a recreation center, a shop, and an uninhabited house also suffered damage, although no casualties were reported.
This recent attack follows a significant cross-border assault on the Belgorod region earlier in the week. The details of that raid, which occurred from Monday to Tuesday, remain unclear. Russia blamed the Ukrainian armed forces for the attack, but two Russian groups claimed responsibility, stating their intention to overthrow President Vladimir Putin.
In addition to the attacks, drone strikes on Russian regions bordering Ukraine have become a regular occurrence since the start of the war. These attacks have increased in frequency over the past month. Notably, an oil refinery in Krasnodar was targeted by drones on consecutive days earlier this month.
Amidst these incidents, there is a growing call for armed Russian “self-defense” forces. Governors of the Belgorod and Kursk regions have expressed support for changing laws to permit local volunteer self-defense units to carry weapons when necessary. This move aims to prevent the diversion of troops from the front line to respond to future raids. Lawmakers and influential figures in Russia have highlighted the need for larger structural changes to secure the border.
