Belgorod

Russia said on Sunday that it had thwarted a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack by downing 158 drones across 15 regions, including two over the capital Moscow.

A coal-fired power plant near the city was reported hit, as was an oil refinery within the city boundaries.

Since Tuesday morning, there has been intense activity around Belgorod, near Russia’s southern border with Ukraine. Russian Telegram channels, citing their security service connections, report that Ukrainian forces are attempting an incursion, having already attacked a border station in the area.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday his troops were "moving further" into Russia, as Kiev's biggest ever cross-border attack stretched into a second week.

The Ukrainian army entered Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6, capturing dozens of settlements in the biggest offensive by a foreign army on Russian soil since World War II.

The Ukrainian military claims to have shot down a Russian fighter jet in Kursk, Russia, according to Ukrainian media reports. Kyiv also claims that since the start of operations on Russian soil, it has captured 100 prisoners of war.

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.

Ukraine on Wednesday pressed its surprise offensive in Russian territory and bombarded the neighbouring border region of Belgorod, where the governor has declared a state of emergency.

Ukrainian forces entered Kursk region last Tuesday and have taken dozens of settlements in the biggest attack by a foreign army on Russian soil since World War II.

Ukraine launched drone attacks on two Russian regions, targeting defense lines as its infantry pushed to seize more territory in what is considered the largest offensive against Russia since the war began.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that its air defense systems destroyed 12 drones over the Kursk region, which Ukraine attacked a week ago, claiming to have controlled an area of 1,000 square kilometers as of Monday.

According to the ministry, one drone was also destroyed over the Voronezh region and another over the Belgorod region.

On Monday morning, parts of Russia's Belgorod region were evacuated following statements from the region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov. He reported increased Ukrainian activity near the Krasnoyarsk border and announced that approximately 11,000 residents had been relocated to safer areas.

Two Russian regions bordering Ukraine ordered more evacuations on Monday as Moscow battled to contain an unprecedented push onto its territory.

Ukraine sent troops into Russia last week in its biggest cross-border operation since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022 and the most significant by a foreign army since World War II.