Seven injured in Ukrainian shelling of Russia's Belgorod - governor

Blasts from both Ukrainian and Russian forces have become a near-daily occurrence.

 https://www.jpost.com/international/article-744888 (photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-744888
(photo credit: REUTERS/ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO)

Seven civilians including a child were injured overnight in Ukrainian shelling of the Valuyki town area in Russia's Belgorod border region, its governor said on Monday.

Five multi-story buildings and four houses were damaged with one building on fire, the governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Separately, Roman Starovoyt, the governor of the Kursk region, north of Belgorod and also bordering Ukraine, said Ukrainian forces shelled two villages there. There were no casualties, according to preliminary information.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.

Daily blasts are routine in Ukraine and Russia alike

Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the nearly 16-month war that Russia launched on its neighbor.

Blasts and attacks on Russian regions bordering Ukraine have been occurring nearly daily in recent months, with Russian officials blaming either Ukrainian forces or pro-Ukrainian saboteurs.

Russia's Defense Ministry added that on Monday its forces had thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to take the village of Novodonetske in the eastern Donetsk region, one of the areas where Kyiv's counteroffensive has been focused.

The ministry said in a statement that marines from Russia's Pacific Fleet had pushed back the overnight attack and destroyed Ukrainian armored vehicles.

It released a video of what it said was the aftermath of the battle showing what one soldier heard talking in it said was a captured French-made tank.

Reuters could not verify the battlefield account.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on Monday that Kyiv's forces had liberated eight settlements in the past two weeks of their offensive operations.