Three people were killed in a Ukrainian air strike in Russia’s Belgorod region

Three people were killed and at least nine others were injured in Ukraine’s latest attack on the Russian border region of Belgorod, according to its governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Gladkov said the strike hit the village of Maslova Pristan early Wednesday. Emergency workers are searching for people feared to be trapped under the rubble.

This is the third day in a row that Ukraine has struck the region, knocking out power to thousands of people and killing at least two more people.

Ukraine has not commented on the attacks but has repeatedly struck targets inside Russia, including Belgorod, during the war.

Ukraine’s energy regulator said the Russian strikes also caused power outages in several Ukrainian regions.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As winter approached, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was targeting critical power generation facilities in Ukraine, while Kiev was targeting major Russian oil refineries.

Gladkov wrote on Telegram that the series of drone and missile attacks that occurred on Wednesday destroyed homes, vehicles and power lines in multiple areas of Belgorod.

He posted photos from Maslova Pristan showing a sports center with its roof and walls destroyed, and said rescue workers were removing the rubble and assessing the damage.

In the nearby town of Moshenoi, six people – including a child – were injured when a missile and drone hit a truck, while a man was injured when a car was hit in Masitcevo.

These strikes come two days after similar attacks that caused power outages and structural damage in the city of Belgorod and its surrounding areas. Videos verified by the BBC showed explosions and fires near a local power station late on Tuesday.

Nearly 40,000 residents were affected by power outages in seven municipalities, Gladkov said.

Ukraine has dramatically increased the number of attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months, leading to fuel shortages and higher prices in some parts of the country. I found the BBC.

At least 21 of Russia’s 38 major refineries – where crude oil is converted into usable fuels such as gasoline and diesel – have been damaged since January, roughly half of what they were during the whole of 2024. The strikes have contributed to fuel shortages and rising prices in many Russian regions.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukraine continue. The Ukrainian Air Force said on Wednesday that its defenses shot down or disabled 154 drones, but 22 of them struck targets in 11 locations. Debris from intercepted drones caused fires and damage to civilian infrastructure.

At least five people were killed Late last week when Russia sent more than 50 ballistic missiles and about 500 drones to nine regions across Ukraine.

Zelensky said Moscow was once again targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure before winter, and announced new funding to repair damaged facilities and create a reserve of equipment to restore energy supplies.

“Despite all the challenges, we must support communities that are currently facing the most difficult times,” he said.