Ukraine launched unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks against Russia’s Belgorod region on Tuesday, injuring eight people and damaging buildings and cars, regional governor Vychilav Gladkov said.
In a Telegram post, Gladkov said a UAV hit a van on a street in the Oktyabrsky commune, near the border with Ukraine, injuring eight people, including four minors.
The Belgorod regional governor said airstrikes continued into the evening, hitting businesses and infrastructure in two other border regions, but no injuries were reported.
Ukrainian armed forces often launch attacks against border areas in Russia, and in August they invaded the Kursk region and seized a significant part of it. Since then, the Russian military has regained control of several communities in the region, according to Moscow.
Evacuation of Kupyansk ordered, Russian troops tighten cordon around city
Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday ordered the evacuation of the city of Kupyansk and three other communities in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, as Russian forces tighten the cordon and hamper vital services ahead of winter.
The evacuation order covers Kupyansk, a railway hub on the banks of the Oskil River, as well as the town of Borova (further south) near Izium, another major freight hub.
Kupyansk fell to Russian forces a few weeks after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but was liberated a few months later.
Speaking on Ukrainian television, the governor of Kharkiv emphasized that a mandatory evacuation order has been given. “The most difficult situation is in the Kupyansk region. On the eastern bank of the Oskil River, which runs through the city, we can no longer guarantee the restoration of electricity, heating and water supply because of the incessant shelling,” explained Oleh Sinyekhubov. “Damage repair crews are immediately under Russian fire,” he added.
Siniehubov said reception centers for the displaced have been set up in Kharkiv. About 4,000 residents are at risk on the east bank of the Oskill and another 3,000 on the west bank of the river.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second most populous city, west of Kupyansk, has been repeatedly attacked by missiles and drones throughout the war.
Russian troops are advancing into the eastern part of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, seizing communities as they move west. At the same time, areas of the Kharkiv region are being hammered, focusing mainly on the city of Kupyansk and its surroundings.
