Russia said it beat back new cross-border attacks from Ukraine as a regional governor said hundreds of residents had been evacuated to escape shelling.
(Bloomberg) — Russia said it beat back new cross-border attacks from Ukraine as a regional governor said hundreds of residents had been evacuated to escape shelling.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow said “Ukrainian terrorist units” backed by tanks attempted unsuccessfully to break into Russia’s Belgorod region in the early hours on Thursday. Russian troops and artillery killed 30 fighters and destroyed four armored vehicles, a mobile rocket-launcher and a pickup truck during clashes, the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.
Ukraine hasn’t commented on the incident, which is the second reported confrontation at the border in the past 10 days. The Russian Defense Ministry said last week that its troops defeated insurgents who entered the Belgorod region in two days of fighting, the most serious conflict on its territory since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
Russia Says Troops Defeated Assault in Ukraine Border Area
Several Russian border towns were hit during “mass shelling” that wounded eight people and set fire to some houses as well as damaging the local administration building in the town of Shebekino, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. He blamed the attacks on Ukraine and said hundreds of people including women and children had been evacuated to nearby regions.
Two people were also hurt during an explosion in the city of Belgorod on Thursday that may have been caused by a drone, Gladkov said.
Putin on Tuesday ordered the strengthening of air defenses around Moscow after eight drones aimed at the capital were downed in the biggest mass attack on the city since the war began.
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