At least five people have been killed and 13 others injured during a nighttime Ukrainian attack on Belgorod, according to official sources from the Russian region. The region’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, announced the death toll via Telegram on Sunday morning, stating that among the injured were three minors in the attack on the settlement of Rakitnoye.
“We will definitely help everyone who has suffered,” said Gladkov, adding: “Our task now is to endure, to overcome trials, and to address the problems.” Kiev has intensified its attacks within Russian territory after launching a surprising land offensive in Russia’s Kursk region two weeks ago. In mid-August, Gladkov declared a state of emergency in the region due to Ukrainian shelling.
In light of this development, Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced that it would send additional troops to the region to defend it in response to the Kursk initiative. The ministry stated on Sunday that several artillery units have been dispatched to Kursk to support soldiers in pushing Ukrainian forces back.
On the Ukrainian side, the governor of the eastern Donetsk region, Vadym Filashkin, confirmed that a nighttime Russian attack had struck a hotel in Kramatorsk. Two journalists were injured in the attack, while a third is missing. Filashkin reported that the missing journalists are British, American, and Ukrainian citizens, and that a rescue operation is currently underway.
A spokesperson for Reuters stated that their six-member team was at the Sapphire Hotel in Kramatorsk when it was hit. “One of our colleagues is missing, while two others have been transported to the hospital for treatment,” said Reuters. “Three other colleagues have been located. We are urgently seeking more information, working with the authorities in Kramatorsk, and supporting our colleagues and their families,” the agency added. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the attack.
Meanwhile, Russia launched several rocket and drone strikes overnight in northern and eastern Ukraine, including frontline areas such as Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. Ukraine’s military command claimed that the country’s air defense had intercepted “most of the missiles,” without specifying the exact number.
Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, reported that a gas pipeline was damaged during the Russian attacks, and at least two houses were destroyed, while 10 others were damaged. Oleh Sinehubov, governor of the Kharkiv region, stated that seven people were injured during the Russian attacks, including a four-year-old child.