Belgorod is about 40 kilometers from the border between Ukraine and Russia. The attack was aimed at the city and the surrounding area, according to Russian authorities, who say it is the second attack in five days that has caused extensive destruction.
– Great destruction has hit energy infrastructure, writes the Belgorod region’s governor Vyacheslav Gladkov in the messaging service Telegram on Friday night.
– As a result, the supply of electricity, water and heat is interrupted, he writes.
The Ukrainian authorities had not commented on the information early Friday night.
Gladkov states that the extent of the destruction will be assessed when it becomes daylight. Images posted on unofficial Telegram channels show darkened residential areas and light from explosions in the sky.
The area has been the target of Ukrainian attacks a number of times in the four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
