State of Emergency Declared in Russia's Belgorod Region Amid Ukrainian Attacks

The governor of Russia's Belgorod region has declared a state of emergency following recent attacks. The Russian defense ministry reported that over 100 drones and four tactical missiles fired from Ukraine were intercepted overnight, targeting several regions including Kursk.

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described the situation as "extremely difficult and tense" due to the shelling by Ukrainian forces. Gladkov also mentioned that the capital of the Belgorod region was attacked by Ukrainian drones, though no casualties were reported. Belgorod, which borders Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine, has been affected by a significant cross-border attack, marking the most substantial incursion into Russian territory since World War II.

The Voronezh region, also on the Ukrainian border, experienced drone attacks overnight. Local reports indicated explosions and several fires, with the Russian military airport in Baltimore likely being one of the targets.

Last week, the Kursk region governor declared a state of emergency as well. Governor Alexey Smirnov reported that Ukrainian forces had advanced at least 12 kilometers into Russian territory and taken control of 28 settlements. Kyiv announced it now controls over 74 settlements in Kursk. The ongoing conflict has displaced more than 120,000 civilians from Kursk, resulting in at least 12 deaths and 121 injuries, according to Smirnov in a meeting with President Putin.