Russia evacuates hundreds from border city amid Ukrainian strikes

Russia said on Monday (Jan 8) it had moved about 300 people from the border city of Belgorod due to Ukrainian shelling, the biggest evacuation from a major Russian city since the conflict began.

Russia said on Monday (Jan 8) it had moved about 300 people from the border city of Belgorod due to Ukrainian shelling, the biggest evacuation from a major Russian city since the conflict began.

The unprecedented announcement follows waves of deadly strikes by Kyiv's forces on Belgorod, which lies less than 32km from the Ukrainian border.

About 300 residents who decided to leave are now being housed in temporary accommodation in the towns of Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district, further from the border, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

"Over the past 24 hours we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city in other regions," he added.

The Kremlin has tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy on the home front, but recent strikes on Belgorod have brought the Ukraine conflict closer to home for Russians.

On Dec 30, Ukrainian shelling of the city killed 25 people, prompting schools to shut for an extended period.

Moscow vowed to intensify strikes on Ukraine in response to the attack, the deadliest in Russia since the start of the war in February 2022.