Aerial targets shot down over Belgorod, 2 reportedly injured

Russian air defense units shot down multiple targets over Belgorod and the Belgorod region during the evening hours of Jan. 4, reportedly injuring two individuals, Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov alleged via Telegram.

"According to preliminary data, there are two victims: one man has a shrapnel wound to the forearm, and the second has a shrapnel wound to the lower leg," Gladkov stated.  

There is additional damage reported in the residential area of the city. Windows in several apartment buildings were broken and more than 30 cars are claimed to be damaged. Across the Oblast, the roof of one home was damaged in addition to a private vehicle.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the information.

The city of Belgorod lies about 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Last month, an attack on the city killed 24 people and injured over 100 others. Russia attributed the attack to Ukraine, though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.

French Foreign Ministry on Belgorod strike: Russia ‘bears full responsibility’ for human casualties

“Russia can put an end to this conflict and the human tragedies that accompany it, for which it bears full responsibility. To do this, it must withdraw all of its troops from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine,” a representative of the French Foreign Ministry said on Jan. 3.

The Kyiv IndependentDinara Khalilova