Russia says mass drone attack hits Belgorod region

By Elena Teslova and Burc Eruygur

MOSCOW / ISTANBUL (AA) – Almost 50 drones struck Russia’s Belgorod region and its administrative center on Thursday, injuring at least five people and damaging homes and public buildings, the regional governor said.

Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram that the city of Belgorod took the main strike, with 41 drones targeting its territory. He said 28 of them were shot down, while the rest were detected in other parts of the region.

Gladkov said three people were injured in Belgorod and two in the wider region, including a 14-year-old girl.

According to the governor, six apartment buildings, six private houses, three social facilities, one commercial property, three administrative buildings, and 15 vehicles were damaged.

“The situation is now very serious in Belgorod and the Belgorod district. Another mass attack by unmanned aerial vehicles has taken place. I ask you to pay maximum attention to information coming from the Telegram channel reporting on enemy drones’ movements,” Gladkov said.

He urged residents to follow alerts on drone threats, adding: “This is because it really saves lives for both you and your loved ones.”