The Ukrainian military, utilizing combat drones, targeted a fuel storage facility in the Volokonovsky district, a region near the border, according to Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region. The attack triggered a series of fires, sparking a broader escalation in cross-border hostilities.
“Several reservoirs caught fire following an explosion. Firefighting teams are actively working to extinguish the flames,” Gladkov stated in a Telegram post.
In addition to the fuel depot attack, Gladkov reported drone strikes on three other localities within the Belgorod region, though no casualties were recorded in these incidents.
Overnight, Ukrainian air attacks in the Sumy region resulted in the deaths of two individuals, with four others sustaining injuries, including two children. The Sumy military administration reported significant damage to several homes and vehicles.
In Belgorod, three civilians, including two children, were injured in the attacks. More than 15 buildings, including two residential structures, were damaged, Gladkov noted.
The Russian defense ministry confirmed the destruction of one drone over Belgorod and another over Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had launched a cross-border operation last month. Two additional drones were intercepted over Belgorod during the night.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have experienced frequent assaults in their border regions. While each side denies targeting civilians, they assert that the strikes are aimed at dismantling critical war infrastructure.
Since the onset of the conflict in February 2022, the war has claimed thousands of civilian lives and displaced millions of Ukrainians, reducing many cities and villages to ruins.
