The governor of Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, said there have been dozens of strikes against several areas of the region by Ukrainian mortar and artillery fire over the last 24 hours — by far the highest reported number in a single day.
Vyacheslav Gladkov said that 155 hits were recorded in the Shebekinsky district alone.
"Six mortar shells were fired at the checkpoint. 48 shells - 39 artillery and 9 mortar shells - were fired at the town of Shebekino," he said on Telegram.
A power transmission line was damaged and a gas pipeline ruptured, he added.
Gladkov said the village of Grafovka was shelled with artillery, killing one man and seriously injuring his wife. In the village of Zhuravlevka, Gladkov said 20 hits had been recorded, but there had been no casualties or damage.
In the township of Graivoron, which is near the Ukrainian border, "39 hits were recorded," Gladkov said. "Twelve mortar shells were fired at the village of Kozinka and seven at the checkpoint. There were no casualties," he added.
He said 16 houses were destroyed in the area.
Other villages were hit, Gladkov said, and a Ukrainian drone had been shot down near the village of Chapayevsky. Other drones had been shot down or failed to do any damage, he continued.
Key context: The region of Belgorod has seen a growing incidence of cross-border fire, in both directions, as well as incursions yesterday and last week from Ukraine by groups calling themselves anti-President Vladimir Putin Russian nationals.