BBC:
Residents of Russia’s Belgorod region say blackouts, air-raid sirens and the sound of gunfire aimed at incoming Ukrainian drones are becoming increasingly common, as Kyiv retaliates against repeated bombardments of its cities with cross-border strikes of its own.
“It’s so loud and so terrifying,” says Nina, a Belgorod resident who asked us to change her name.
“I was coming back from the clinic when a siren went off. As usual, I received Telegram alerts about a drone attack. Then bursts of automatic gunfire broke out, I ran into a nearby courtyard and tried to hide under an arch,” she recalls.
“The next day it all happened again – air defence fire, automatic gunfire, explosions.”
The number of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Belgorod region has increased nearly fourfold since the start of 2025, according to BBC News Russian analysis based on data from local authorities.
In September, more than 4,000 Ukrainian drones were recorded in the Belgorod region, compared with around 1,100 in January 2025. In one of the biggest strikes last month, the region was attacked with more than 260 drones, according to the governor. There has also been an increase in missile attacks since the summer.
Ukraine continues to suffer far greater losses from Russia’s near-daily missile and drone strikes, which routinely kill civilians and leave cities across the country without power and heat.
At least seven people were killed, including two children, in Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight into Wednesday, and there are fears that the coming winter may be the harshest yet for Ukraine.
