Russian Governor Offers Evacuation as Ukraine War Hits Belgorod

The Kremlin has tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy on the Ukrainian war front, but the recent strikes on Belgorod have brought the armed conflict closer to the Russian people.

The announcement by the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, that frightened residents can evacuate is the most far-reaching measure in a Russian city since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“I see several appeals on social media where people write: we are scared, help us get to a safe place,” Gladkov said in a video message.

“Of course we will! We’ve already moved several families,” he added.

The governor’s offer came a day after an overnight shooting in Belgorod that injured at least two people and shattered windows in high-rise buildings. Officials in the city of Belgorod on Friday called on residents to tape their windows with insulating tape to prevent them from shattering in the blast waves.

Less than a week ago, 25 people were killed when Ukraine shelled Belgorod. It was the highest number of Russian civilian casualties since the beginning of the armed conflict.

Gladkov announced that the residents of Belgorod would be taken to the towns of Staryioskol and Gubkin, further from the border, where they would be accommodated in “comfortable conditions.”

“You will stay there as long as necessary,” the governor added. He warned, however, that there is not enough housing to accommodate all the residents of Belgorod.

“I will call on my colleagues, the governors of other regions, to help us,” Gladkov said.

2024-01-06 06:10:45
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