Six Killed in Reported Ukrainian Strike on Belgorod

Acting Governor Alexander Shuvaev said the strike hit the village of Koloskovo in the Valuysky district, roughly 15 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. He said the attack caused a fire at a structure and damaged a vehicle.

The reported strike came a day after Russia and Ukraine launched a series of missile and drone attacks against targets deep inside each other’s territory. Authorities on both sides said the attacks killed 19 people in total.

The latest escalation comes as fighting along the front has largely stalled and negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv remain frozen. Both countries have nevertheless intensified long-range attacks, contributing to a sharp rise in civilian casualties.

Russia has continued near-daily missile and drone attacks across Ukraine since launching its full-scale invasion in February 2022. In recent weeks, Moscow has increased its use of ballistic missiles, which are difficult for Ukrainian air defences to intercept.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has expanded strikes against Russian military and industrial targets. Ukrainian officials have said attacks on facilities linked to Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, are intended to disrupt supplies connected to drone production. Kyiv has also targeted oil refineries as part of efforts to weaken Russia’s wartime economy.

The growing exchange of long-range strikes has taken a mounting toll on civilians. United Nations figures show that 437 civilians were killed in Ukraine in July, the highest monthly total since May 2022. Russian authorities reported 79 civilian deaths in Russia during the same month, up from June.