On Feb. 13, regional authorities reported that a missile strike in Belgorod, a Russian city near the Ukrainian border, resulted in two fatalities and three injuries, one of them serious. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the region's governor, provided the casualty and damage details via a Telegram post, saying the two men were killed at an infrastructure site within the city.
Gladkov said the three people who were injured were receiving hospital treatment and that one remained in serious condition. The governor's statement also described significant damage to energy facilities, and he reported that supplies of electricity, heating and water had been interrupted as a result of the attack.
In addition to the utility disruptions, Gladkov said three apartment buildings in the city sustained damage. Residents, according to the unofficial SHOT Telegram channel, reported a series of loud explosions and that air defences were active in the area as the events unfolded.
Belgorod lies roughly 40 km (25 miles) from the border and, the governor noted, has been the target of frequent attacks from Ukrainian forces. The combination of human casualties, damage to housing and interruptions to basic utilities underscores the local impact of the strike.
Summary
Regional authorities reported that a missile attack in Belgorod killed two people and injured three. The strike caused notable damage to energy infrastructure, cutting electricity, heating and water supplies, and damaged three apartment buildings. Local residents reported explosions and air-defence activity, according to an unofficial Telegram channel.
Key points
- Two men were killed at an infrastructure site and three people were injured; one injured person was reported in serious condition, according to the regional governor's Telegram post.
- Energy facilities sustained serious damage, leading to interruptions in electricity, heating and water supplies, which affects essential services and resident households.
- Three apartment buildings were damaged, and residents reported loud explosions while air defences were reported to be in operation.
Sectors impacted
- Energy and utilities - outages to electricity, heating and water were reported.
- Residential housing - multiple apartment buildings sustained damage.
- Healthcare - injured individuals are being treated in hospitals, with at least one in serious condition.
Risks and uncertainties
- Service disruptions - the reported damage to energy facilities has already led to cuts in electricity, heating and water, creating immediate risks for households and municipal services.
- Ongoing security threat - residents reported explosions and air-defence activity, and the city has experienced frequent attacks, indicating continued risk to civilians and infrastructure.
- Humanitarian and medical strain - with casualties and injured residents receiving hospital care, local medical services may face increased demand amid infrastructure outages.
Authorities provided the casualty and damage figures in public communications on Telegram. Independent confirmation beyond those statements was not cited in the communications referenced.