MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia shot down nine Ukrainian missiles on Tuesday over the city and region of Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, and two people were wounded, the Defence Ministry and regional officials said.
One of the wounded was in serious condition, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. Officials said several houses and cars were damaged.
Heavy Russian missile and drone strikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the northeastern city of Kharkiv killed at least five people on Tuesday and wounded dozens, causing widespread damage, Ukrainian officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had said on Monday that Ukrainian bombardment of Belgorod on Saturday, in which Russia says 25 civilians were killed, “will not go unpunished”.
Since Friday, when Moscow carried out what Kyiv said was its heaviest night of bombing since the war began almost two years ago, Kyiv says Russia has launched well over 300 attack drones and missiles of various kinds at cities across Ukraine.
Reuters could not independently verify the Russian and Ukrainian reports.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
