Video: Residents of Belgorod Offered Evacuation

The authorities of Belgorod, a Russian city bordering Ukraine, have offered residents the option to evacuate following intense shelling from the Ukrainian side, which resulted in three injuries last night. Local schools have decided to extend the winter holidays.

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced that residents of Belgorod wishing to evacuate due to the shelling must inform the authorities, after which they will be relocated to the cities of Stary Oskol and Gubkin. He promised that those wishing to evacuate would be accommodated “in fairly comfortable conditions, in warm and safe rooms.”

“You will stay there for as long as necessary,” Gladkov assured.

Meanwhile, Kyiv has launched strikes towards Crimea, aiming to reclaim the peninsula annexed 10 years ago. The Ukrainian Armed Forces report that recent military operations have been successful, with at least one Russian command point hit in Crimea.

The Russian side, in turn, has intensified strikes targeting Ukrainian settlements and infrastructure. Reports indicate that air raid alerts are sounding in Shebekino, a town in the Belgorod region.