Are the Ukrainians escalating their attacks on Russian territory?
Two days after Ukrainian forces blew up a fuel depot during the first cross-border attack on Russian territory, yet another attack has been reported in Belgorod.
During the previous strike, two helicopters purportedly belonging to the Ukrainian air force destroyed a Rosneft fuel depot in an attempt to cripple Russian logistics. To be sure, the Ukrainian high command has denied any involvement in the attack, insinuating instead that it was a 'false flag' operation planned by Moscow to justify further brutality in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, which cited two witnesses, explosions were heard in the Russian city border city. The source of the blasts wasn't immediately clear.
Two blasts were heard in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine on Sunday, two witnesses told Reuters, days after Russian authorities accused Ukrainian forces of striking a fuel depot there.
The cause of the blasts was not immediately clear. One witness said the blasts were so powerful that they rattled the windows of her home in Belgorod.
The blasts come days after Russia's defence ministry said two Ukrainian helicopters struck a fuel depot in the city, some 35 km (22 miles) from the border with Ukraine, after entering Russia at extremely low altitude in the early hours of Friday.
The Kremlin said the incident could undermine peace efforts, while a top Ukrainian security official denied responsibility.
Locals also reported another blast in a nearby village (although they claimed nobody was hurt).
A local official from the region around Belgorod said there had been a blast in the village of...