Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
A massive swarm of Ukrainian drones attacked the Russian border region of Belgorod on the night of October 25, according to local officials and eyewitness footage posted on social media.
Most of the drones were focused on an area in downtown Belgorod, residents report. According to the Exilenova-Plus monitoring channel, the target was the MegaGRINN shopping complex, the largest shopping and entertainment center in Belgorod.
MegaGRINN covers an area of over 163,000 square meters and houses over 200 stores, as well as a supermarket, cinema and restaurants. The establishment was closed and empty of visitors during the nighttime attack.
Local residents also reported a fire in the courtyard of a residential complex in the area.
The Belgorod region’s operational headquarters confirmed a “massive drone attack” on the city and said emergency services had been dispatched to the affected areas, although it did not name specific targets.
The attack killed one civilian and injured 14 others, authorities said. At least 30 apartment buildings, 35 vehicles, four homes, three administrative buildings and eight commercial properties were damaged.
The Kyiv Independent was unable to verify this information at the time of publication.
Videos posted on social media by eyewitnesses show explosions, fires and air defense operations over the city of Belgorod. The operational headquarters has warned residents to stay at home as attacks continue in the area.
The town of Belgorod lies just 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Ukraine’s northeastern border with Russia and about 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Kharkiv. Its proximity to the front lines makes it a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks, even as kyiv’s growing long-range capabilities allow its drones to penetrate deep into Russia’s interior.
Previous Ukrainian strikes on Belgorod have targeted energy infrastructure and logistics warehouses, including facilities belonging to Russian retail giant Ozon.
The reported drone blitz on Belgorod comes shortly after Ukraine confirmed on October 24 that its Starshield system had been restored to full speed, allowing troops to more effectively coordinate drone strikes on Russian targets.
Starshield, the military application of the Starlink satellite internet system, has been operating at a significantly reduced speed in Ukraine since October 14. The unexplained restriction disrupted key military missions and Ukraine’s ability to shoot down Russian jet drones.
Gn world
