Key facts
- Russia accused Ukraine of conducting a drone strike on a passenger bus in the Belgorod region.
- Five civilians, including a minor, were reported killed in the attack.
- Three other civilians sustained critical injuries.
- A total of 23 civilians were injured in the incident.
- The Belgorod region borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region and has been subject to regular attacks.
Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of killing five civilians, including a minor, in a drone attack on a bus in Russia's Belgorod region. The governor of the Belgorod region, Alexander Shuvayev, stated that three other civilians were hospitalized in critical condition and that 23 civilians were injured in total. Shuvayev described the incident as a deliberate and cynical strike by what he termed 'terrorists from Kyiv.' Reuters could not independently verify the accusation. The Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, has experienced regular attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Both sides have previously denied deliberately targeting civilians.