Seven killed, 35 injured in Ukraine drone attack on Russian region

Seven people have been killed and at least 35 injured in an air attack on Russia’s Belgorod region, on the border with Ukraine.

Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov blamed Ukrainian forces for the strike, which he said was carried out with drones and hit minibuses transporting workers to a meat production facility, as well as a private car.

Gladkov said several other locations in the Belgorod region had also come under attack in the last 24 hours, with residential buildings damaged.

The Belgorod region has often been targeted by Ukrainian forces since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The deadliest strike so far occurred in December, when a drone and rocket attack killed 25 people and wounded another 100 in the city of Belgorod.

In March, Gladkov said 9,000 children would be evacuated from the city and the wider region after shelling that authorities have blamed on Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, damaging a facility in the northern Sumy region – which borders the Belgorod region – in an overnight bombardment.

On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defence said it had started preparations for missile drills simulating the use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.

Tactical nuclear weapons are small nuclear warheads and delivery systems intended for use on the battlefield, or for a limited strike.

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