Blackouts hit Russia's Belgorod as Ukrainian drone attacks surge

Ukraine says the attacks are a direct retaliation to Russia's frequent strikes on Ukrainian cities.

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"It's so loud and so terrifying," says Nina, a Belgorod resident who asked us to change her name.

"I was coming back from the clinic when a siren went off. As usual, I received Telegram alerts about a drone attack. Then bursts of automatic gunfire broke out, I ran into a nearby courtyard and tried to hide under an arch," she recalls.

"The next day it all happened again - air defence fire, automatic gunfire, explosions."

The number of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Belgorod region has increased nearly fourfold since the start of 2025, according to BBC News Russian analysis based on data from local authorities.