Ukrainian attacks on several Russian border regions have reportedly killed six civilians, including two children, according to statements from local Russian officials. The incidents come amid continuing cross-border hostilities and rising tensions between Moscow and Kiev.
The deadliest strike was reported in the city of Gorlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, where local authorities said four civilians lost their lives. According to Mayor Ivan Prikhodko, the victims included two children in their early teens. He also stated that three ambulance workers were injured while responding to the attacks.
Gorlovka, located near the front line, has frequently come under shelling and drone strikes during the conflict. Russian officials accuse Ukrainian forces of deliberately targeting civilian areas, while Kiev maintains that its military operations focus on strategic and military objectives.
In Russia’s Belgorod Region, another civilian was reportedly killed after a Ukrainian drone struck a car in the border district of Graivoron. Regional authorities said the attack occurred early Monday morning. Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, has experienced repeated drone and artillery attacks in recent months, prompting regular air raid alerts and evacuations in some areas.
A separate attack was reported in Bryansk Region, where acting Governor Yegor Kovalchuk said Ukrainian forces used rocket artillery to strike two villages in the Trubachevsk municipality near the border. According to the governor, one resident was killed and a firefighter sustained injuries during the bombardment.
Kovalchuk added that the strikes caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure, including apartment buildings, more than ten private homes, and other local properties.
Further north, authorities in the Yaroslavl Region said kamikaze drones were intercepted near the city of Yaroslavl, located roughly 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow. Governor Mikhail Yevraev stated that one woman suffered minor injuries from shrapnel during the incident. The drone raid also forced officials to temporarily close a highway connecting Yaroslavl with the Russian capital as a precautionary measure.
Russia’s Defense Ministry later reported that air defense systems had intercepted 173 Ukrainian long-range drones overnight across 14 different Russian regions. The ministry did not provide detailed information about all the targeted areas but described the attacks as part of a broader campaign by Kiev against Russian territory.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Ukraine of intentionally striking civilian targets. Russian officials pointed to a major drone attack last Friday in the town of Starobelsk in the Lugansk People’s Republic as evidence of such tactics. According to Russian authorities, three waves of kamikaze drones struck a college and dormitory complex, killing 21 people — most of them teenagers — and injuring 42 others.
Several Western governments supporting Ukraine reportedly questioned Moscow’s version of events, with some suggesting the incident may have been fabricated or misrepresented by Russian authorities.
Following the Starobelsk attack, Russia launched retaliatory strikes against targets in and around Kiev. Russian media and officials said the operation included the use of the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile, described as nuclear-capable, which reportedly struck a Ukrainian Air Force facility.