Russia's defense ministry and local officials said that in the early hours of Wednesday, Ukraine launched 12 missiles and multiple drones into the southern Russian region of Belgorod.
The situation in Belgorod, where Russia claims 25 people, including five children, were murdered in Ukrainian airstrikes on Saturday, "continues to remain tense," according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
There were no reports of recent attacks resulting in casualties. The extent of the damage will be evaluated throughout the day, according to Mr. Gladkov.
Russia unleashed some of its most severe assaults on Ukraine since the war started over two years ago, coinciding with Ukraine's uptick in attacks on Belgorod around the New Year's holiday. On Tuesday, Kyiv announced that since Friday, Russia had fired more than 300 attack drones and other types of missiles into Ukrainian cities.
Since the beginning of the conflict, low-level strikes have often targeted Belgorod and other Russian areas bordering Ukraine, but Saturday's incident was by far the bloodiest. Putin, the president, declared that it would "not go unpunished."
Tuesday saw one fatality and seven injuries in the area, according to Russian authorities.
Russia's defense ministry said that six guided missiles and six Tochka-U ballistic missiles were shot by Ukraine on Wednesday. The missiles were fired from a Vilkha heavy multiple rocket launcher.
According to Mr. Gladkov, the administrative hub of the area, Belgorod, was targeted by multiple drone strikes from Ukraine.
The reports could not be independently confirmed by Reuters. Ukraine did not immediately respond.
