The Governor of the Russian region of Belgorod, Viacheslav Gladkov, today called on all residents of the border towns with Ukraine that are attacked by enemy artillery to leave their homes.
"Listen to the authorities and provisionally leave your homes to preserve what is most important, which is your life and that of your loved ones," Gladkov said on his Telegram channel.
The official explained that his appeal is not only for the Shebékino district, the hardest hit by the attacks in recent days, but for all the districts that are being bombarded.
He specified that during the night there were attacks by Ukrainian artillery against that district and also that of Volokonovski, where numerous damages were recorded, but no fatalities, according to preliminary data.
He estimated that more than 4,000 people are now in reception centers, mostly schools and university dormitories.
According to Gladkov, two women were killed on Saturday in the towns of Novaya Tovolzhanka and Bezliudovka, both in the Shebekino district, and five other civilians were killed by enemy fire on Friday.
These bombardments from the other side of the border, added to the incursions by Russian paramilitary groups, have forced the Army and the National Guard to reinforce security in the area amid growing criticism for the vulnerability of the border.
Gladkov announced on Saturday the urgent evacuation of 600 children from border towns, while another thousand will be sent to the annexed Crimean peninsula.
