Head of Russia’s Belgorod region reports ‘large number of drone attacks’ overnight

24 May 2023, 08:23 GMT

A drone has dropped an explosive device on a car in Belgorod, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.

Update

Gladkov said that “there were a large number of drone attacks” overnight. According to him, air-defence systems could not intercept all of them. In particular, two explosive devices were dropped on two administrative buildings in the village of Tomarovka. “There is damage in Belgorod, in the Borisov district and in the Belgorod district: cars, private houses, administrative buildings,” the regional head said.
Gladkov added that “after the sabotage and reconnaissance group’s incursion” nine people are in hospital: three are in intensive care, six are already recovering. Power supply is still interrupted in the Grayvoronsky district.
According to the governor, more than 550 people are housed in Grayvoronsky district’s temporary camps. On Tuesday, he reported that around 100 people had been evacuated from the Ukraine border-adjacent villages of Glotovo and Kozinka.

Photo: Vyacheslav Gladkov's Telegram channel

According to Gladkov, no one was injured. Bomb technicians and emergency response services are working at the site.

TV Rain claims that the drone equipped with the explosive device almost managed to reach the centre of Belgorod. Reporters studied pictures to identify the street where the car was driving.

“This street is just six minutes of walking away from the railway station and 14 minutes away from Cathedral Square,” the outlet writes.

Photo: social media

Gladkov also reported about a drone downed over the Belgorod district.

Preliminary reports suggest that no one was injured.

On 22 May, the authorities claimed that “a Ukrainian army sabotage and reconnaissance group” made an incursion into the Grayvoronsky district, Belgorod region. It was reported that clashes broke out in border-adjacent settlements, while Ukrainian armoured vehicles arrived at the Grayvoron checkpoint. The news emerged this morning that a woman born in 1941 died during the evacuation mission from the Grayvoron district in the Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.

The Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on six counts, including terrorism. A counter-terrorism order was imposed in the Belgorod region but later cancelled on 23 May.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported that more than 70 saboteurs who made the incursion into the region had been eliminated.