The situation in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, continues to be challenging, according to local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who made the statement on Wednesday, following Moscow’s announcement that its forces had successfully repelled attempts by Ukrainian troops to cross the border.
“The circumstances in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district remain difficult,” Gladkov, the leader of the southwestern region, stated in a video shared on Telegram.
The Belgorod regional government reported that at least one soldier was killed due to shelling in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district.
“As a result of the shelling, a soldier from the ‘Orlan’ unit lost his life, and four others sustained injuries,” the government communicated through its Telegram channel, noting that there were casualties in other areas of the region as well.
Reuters has not been able to independently verify these claims, and there has been no immediate response from Ukraine.
Residents in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district have mentioned in local social media chats that access to the area has been restricted by authorities.
See more: Germany to release extra 3 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, source says
This was corroborated by district head Vitaly Kutomanov, who indicated that these temporary measures were implemented “for security reasons.”
Reuters has not been able to determine if the restrictions have since been lifted.
The Belgorod region has frequently experienced drone and shelling attacks from Ukraine throughout the ongoing three-year conflict.
On Tuesday, Russia’s Defence Ministry, as reported by Russian news outlets, stated that Russian forces had successfully thwarted five attempts by Ukrainian forces to breach the border into Belgorod.
