An apartment block partially collapsed in the Russian border city of Belgorod on Sunday. Authorities blamed Ukrainian shelling and said there were deaths.
Online footage showed rescuers searching for survivors among the remains of the building’s staircase and then fleeing the scene as part of the roof fell to the ground.
In a statement, Russia’s Investigative Committee, the country’s main law enforcement agency, said the 10-story block was hit by Ukrainian shelling. He stated that there were dead and injured among the rubble, but did not provide further details.
The Russian Health Ministry said at least 17 people were injured in the collapse. Rescue operations were being carried out.
Repeated warnings of air raids were issued across the Belgorod region on Sunday morning. The city of Belgorod was also attacked on Saturday night, killing one person and injuring 29 others, local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Cities across western Russia have been targets of regular attacks of drones since May 2023, with Russian authorities blaming Kiev. Ukrainian authorities never acknowledge responsibility for attacks on Russian territory or the Crimean Peninsula.
The Belgorod region, on Russia’s western border, has been the target of a large number of attacks. Although most cross-border bombings are observed in rural areas, attacks have also been observed in the region’s capital. In December 2023, bombings in the heart of the city of Belgorod killed 25 people, prompting authorities to begin building public shelters.
