Russia blames ‘Ukrainian terrorists’ for border town attack in Belgorod region

Russia says one man has been injured in the shelling of a town in the border region of Belgorod.

Russian state TV aired pictures of what it said were buildings damaged in the town of Shebekino.

People were also seen being transported on buses out of the area to a safe location.

“From three in the morning until seven, we couldn’t leave. We couldn’t raise our heads (because of shelling). It was scary,” said one resident. 

“The largest temporary accommodation centre in the city is gradually filling up, so all arriving residents of Shebekino are being sent in an organised manner to the remaining centres for displaced people,” Vyacheslav Gladkov, the Governor of Belgorod said on Telegram.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence spokesman blamed a Ukrainian armoured combat unit and claimed they had been driven back.

“Ukrainian terrorist formations of up to two mechanised infantry companies that were backed up by tanks attempted to infiltrate the territory of the Russian Federation,” Igor Konashenkov said.

Moscow has accused Ukraine of being behind a spate of recently reported attacks on its territory.

Kyiv has consistently denied any involvement.