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Ukraine war: Thousands of children to be evacuated from Belgorod after strikes

In Europe
March 19, 2024

Around 9,000 children will be evacuated from the Russian city of Belgorod and the wider region after shelling that authorities have blamed on Ukraine.

Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said three people, including a child, were injured in the latest attacks, while part of the region – which borders Ukraine – was without power.

He added that a total of 16 people have been killed and 98 wounded this week.

It comes days after strikes forced closures across the city.

Students in Belgorod were ordered not to attend school on Monday and Tuesday. Shopping centres in Belgorod were also closed on Sunday and Monday.

The new evacuation order affects several villages in the city of Belgorod and several villages in other parts of the region, Mr Gladkov told a gathering of the Kremlin’s United Russia party.

The first group of 1,200 children will be evacuated on Friday.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces shot down what is said were nine Ukrainian shells over Belgorod on Tuesday.

The ministry later added it had destroyed two groups of Ukrainian “saboteurs” in pre-emptive strikes near the border with the Belgorod and Kursk regions.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian border areas have continued to report Russian attacks, requiring evacuations there.

Kyiv has not commented on the recent spate of attacks in Belgorod.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously accused Kyiv of launching strikes on the region to disrupt his bid for re-election, in which he claimed a landslide victory.

The contest was described as neither free nor fair by critics. Mr Putin’s victory was in no doubt, since he had no credible opponent.

Earlier this month, three Ukraine-based Russian paramilitary groups said they had crossed into Russia and were now fighting government troops there.

The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL) and Siberian Battalion (SB) posted videos that purported to show their fighters in the Belgorod and Kursk regions.

The FRL and an exiled Russian politician claimed two villages were now in control of “liberation forces”.

At the time, Russia’s defence ministry said the breakthrough attempts were thwarted.

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