Russia begins city evacuation as it swaps cross-border strikes with Ukraine

Residents of Belgorod moved away from the border while Ukraine deflects another barrage of drones and missiles.

Russia has partially evacuated Belgorod and has requests for further removals following Ukrainian air strikes on the border city.

About 300 residents from the city have been temporarily moved to safety further from the border, Belgorod region’s Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Monday. The evacuation comes as Russia and Ukraine increasingly trade drone and missile strikes.

“Some 300 residents of Belgorod, who decided to temporarily evacuate, are at the moment being housed in temporary shelter centres in Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district,” which are further from the border, Gladkov said in a video posted on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported on Monday that at least four people were killed as Russia launched more than 50 missiles and drones in the early hours.

With the war on the front line in eastern Ukraine bogged down in winter trenches, Russia has concentrated on air strikes against Ukraine’s infrastructure, and what it says are military targets. However, civilian areas have been regularly hit.

In response, Kyiv has begun sending its own drones and missiles at targets in the occupied east, as well as inside Russia itself.

On December 30, 25 people were killed in Belgorod. It was the deadliest civilian toll in Russia since Moscow invaded its neighbour in February 2022.

Ukraine has launched further attacks since, spreading panic in the city, which sits about 30km (19 miles) from the border.

The governor offered residents the option of evacuation on Friday.

“Over the past 24 hours, we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city, in other regions,” Gladkov said.