Belgorod Enacts Temporary Closures and Online Learning Amid Escalating Drone Threats

Authorities in the southwestern Belgorod region announced on Wednesday that large shopping centers would be temporarily closed and that schools would transition to online classes in response to drone attacks from Ukraine.

«In light of the current situation, we are halting the operations of major shopping malls,» Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov shared in a Telegram message.

Previously, Gladkov reported that a Ukrainian strike had damaged the regional government building as well as a residential property, but fortunately, there were no injuries.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that Ukraine launched 122 drones towards the border region overnight, with air defense systems successfully intercepting 11 of them.

Later that day, Gladkov mentioned that schools would conduct remote learning on Thursday and Friday, while universities would determine individually whether to hold in-person or online classes.

This announcement came shortly before the governor reported that three individuals had been injured due to drone attacks in the area.

Belgorod has experienced frequent cross-border shelling since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, alongside occasional incursions by Ukrainian forces.