'Putin won't freeze war...': Ukraine drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod kills at least 6

At least six people were killed and 25 injured in a Ukrainian overnight drone attack on the Russian city of Belgorod, local authorities said on Sunday (Aug 10). Alexander Shuvayev, acting governor of Belgorod region, said the attack sparked fires in two apartment buildings that were later extinguished by emergency services. He said a large number of residential and non-residential buildings were damaged. Russia's Defence Ministry, in a statement, said that air defenses intercepted and destroyed 12 Ukrainian UAVs over the Regions of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan after the attack.

"Unfortunately, according to updated information, three civilians have died. I offer my sincere condolences to their families. I understand that no words can ease the pain that their loved ones feel," indicated the acting regional governor, Alexander Shuvaev, in a message on social media.

As attacked continued, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said in an interview with TASS said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that “no 'freeze' is possible without eliminating the root causes of this crisis." “It is clear that Zelensky has completely lost touch with reality and is trying to escalate the conflict, provoking discontent even among countries that Kiev considers its partners,” he said.

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Parallel attack in Ukraine

Meanwhile, the head of the regional military administration of Kharkiv, Oleg Sinegubov, has stated that two people have died and another 23 have been injured in a Russian drone attack against a residential building in the Saltivski district, early in the morning. "Five of the injured are hospitalized, including a woman in serious condition. Emergency services continue to work at the site of the attack," he indicated, emphasizing that the immediate priority is to remove the debris from the collapsed floors and check that no one is trapped under the rubble. The attack reportedly destroyed the floors between the seventh and tenth of the building.

Prior to this, Russian forces also struck Ukraine's Black Sea port infrastructure overnight, the Russian Defence Ministry said. The ministry said fuel storage facilities "used in the interests" of the Ukrainian military were hit in the ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk, as well as in the settlements of Biliari and Novi Biliari near Odesa.

Also Read: Zelensky claims Russia deploying up to 50,000 North Korean troops in Ukraine, seeeks help from South Korea

Russia-Ukraine war intensifies

Russia has intensified attacks on Kyiv in recent weeks, while Ukraine has also increased its attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, including power facilities. Last week, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a lack of ballistic missile interceptors “only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives.” He met his US counterpart Donald Trump last Tuesday, partly to lobby Washington for licences to produce Patriots domestically. He also claimed that Russia is deploying 30,000 to 50,000 North Korean troops in the war in Ukraine. He urged the Republic of Korea to have close cooperation with Ukraine. “We are open to this. We would very much like to receive support from South Korea in an area where we have a shortage," he added.