Feb 27 - Authorities in the Russian city of Belgorod reported a major disruption to civilian utilities after Ukrainian missiles hit the area during the night, leaving roughly 50,000 people without electricity, the regional governor said.
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a Telegram post that around half of those affected should have power restored by the end of Friday following the latest in a series of strikes that have repeatedly caused blackouts in the city.
"Serious damage has occurred with energy infrastructure," Gladkov wrote. "As a result, there have been disruptions to supplies of power, water and heating." There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials.
Belgorod sits about 40 km (25 miles) from the border with Ukraine and has frequently been the target of Ukrainian drone and missile strikes during the four years since Russia launched its invasion of its neighbour, local officials and residents say. Along with the neighbouring Kursk region - parts of which were seized by Ukraine in a surprise attack in August 2024 and held for many months - Belgorod has borne the brunt of Ukrainian cross-border strikes since the start of the war.
Residents and regional reports point to a steady pattern of shelling, drone attacks and blackouts that have turned the conflict into a daily reality for people living close to the frontier. That stands in contrast to much of the rest of Russia, where opinion polling suggests many are attempting to carry on with normal life and often tune out battlefield news.
Local figures cited by officials and media put the death toll in Belgorod and the surrounding region at about 485 people since the start of the war, including 35 so far this year.
People in the city described heightened anxiety and interruptions to basic services. "There have been more frequent bangs at night and the glass in the window frames is rattling loudly. Weve had heavy shelling for the whole of February," said a female pensioner in Belgorod, who added that she had been told to expect no hot water until the summer.
A 40-year-old resident, who declined to give her name, described cultural life punctured by air alerts. She said she had attended a theatre performance this month that was halted three times because of missile alerts and that the audience were told to keep their coats on because of the lack of heating.
"Sometimes we cant sleep at night, hiding when shells hit neighbouring houses," she said. "People generally take cover wherever they can. Everyone is looking for a safe place away from the windows."
Separately, residents of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have often suffered losses of heating and power in the coldest weeks of winter because of Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid, underscoring the reciprocal toll that strikes on infrastructure have taken on civilians on both sides.
Details:
- Approximately 50,000 people in Belgorod lost electricity after overnight missile strikes.
- Governor Gladkov said about half of those affected should be reconnected by the end of Friday.
- Officials reported serious damage to energy infrastructure and disruptions to power, water and heating.
- Belgorod is located about 40 km (25 miles) from the Ukrainian border and has experienced repeated cross-border attacks.
- Around 485 people in Belgorod and the surrounding region have been killed since the start of the war, including 35 so far this year.