At least 11 people have been injured in the attack on the Russian town of Shebekino, Belgorod region, as per the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. An explosion has been reported in the regional capital, Belgorod. Russia’s Defence Ministry claims that “a new attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack against the civilian population of Shebekino” has been foiled.

Overnight shelling of Sheberkino

In the morning, the governor of the Belgorod region reported that eight people had been injured in the overnight attack on the town of Shebekino.

The air defence system was activated in the Belgorod district.

“Tonight was another stressful one for Shebekino. Ukraine’s Armed Forces were shelling the town for an hour. <…> One man had to have his left arm amputated, he’s in critical condition,” Gladkov reports.

The head of the region claims that Ukraine’s Armed Forces were shelling the centre and outskirts of the town using the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher at midnight, 3:40 AM, and 5:15 AM. Following the shelling, one private house caught fire, as well as the roof of one of the administration buildings. “We’re receiving calls about damage to windows and balconies in private and multi-storey buildings, there are buildings with walls that were knocked down by the rockets,” Gladkov says.

The Shebekino district students were exempted from taking school-leaving exams, according to Gladkov. “We’re currently working out an arrangement that would let the children from the Shebekino district enrol in universities without the exams,” he adds.

Morning attacks

The Russian Volunteers Corps and the Freedom of Russia Legion have announced a new raid on the Belgorod region.

Later on, the corps reported having shelled the town using the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher.

Furthermore, according to Russia’s Defence Ministry, “a new attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack against the civilian population of Shebekino” was foiled. “At around 3:00 a.m. Moscow time, after intense shelling of civilian facilities in Belgorod region, Ukrainian terrorist groups with up to two motorised infantry companies reinforced with tanks attempted to invade Russian territory near Novaya Tavolzhanka and the Shebekino international road checkpoint,” the ministry claimed in a statement.

The Russian forces allegedly repelled three attacks, with more than 30 “Ukrainian terrorists” being “neutralised”.

Gladkov later confirmed that the town of Shebekino had been shelled by Ukraine’s Armed Forces using the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher.

Afternoon attacks

Gladkov reports that several settlements in the Shebekino and Grayvoronsky districts have been shelled throughout the day.

One person was injured in the Novaya Tavolzhanka village — he was wounded in his right shoulder. A rocket crashed into a house, setting it on fire.

In the Kozinka village, two houses caught fire, however there are no casualties, the head of the region claims.

The deputy of the Belgorod region governor, Konstantin Polezhaeyev, says that energy infrastructure was damaged as a result of shelling.

Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reports, citing medical staff, that 11 people were hospitalised in total following the shelling in the Belgorod region, four of them are in critical condition.

Near the evening, local Telegram channels started reporting an explosion in the city of Belgorod. Photos and videos of smoke on the scene of the explosion appeared online. Telegram channels report, citing eyewitnesses, that the Shchors street was closed, while the cars parked nearby were damaged.

Gladkov reports that a drone crashing led to the explosion. According to the Belgorod region governor, two people were hurt and one car was damaged in the attack.

Aftermath

According to Telegram channels Baza, 112, and Fonar, a bus was shelled in the town of Shebekino. The Belgorod region governor said that Ukraine’s Armed Forces had shelled the town using the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher.

“A lot of channels are sharing the information that there’s one victim and two injured in the bus. This information is not confirmed neither by the head of the district nor the ambulance that inspected the bus — it was empty. But there’s one injured — a man with a shrapnel wound on his right foot,” Gladkov reports.

Due to a direct hit of the rockets, a dorm building caught fire, there’s also damage to the administration building. There’s no power in the town, Gladkov adds.

Evacuation of civilians

In the early hours of 31 May, Gladkov reported that Shebekino had been subjected to massive shelling by Ukraine’s Armed Forces, with four people getting injured. At the same time, he announced that the evacuation of children would begin immediately. The first 300 children were sent to Voronezh the same day.

Today, he has reminded the residents of the town that urgent evacuation is an option. “We will bring protected vehicles to your house. We do not post the assembly spots because they could be targets for those who are currently firing at civilians and children. As soon as things calm down, we will continue evacuating people. All the temporary accommodation centres have been prepared.” According to Gladkov, 200 people will be taken to Penza today, while another 600 will be evacuated to Kaluga and Yaroslavl on 3 June.