Russia has evacuated 300 people from a major city in a "unprecedented move" following a surge in frequent attacks from Ukraine.
Residents in Belgorod - located less than 20 miles from the Ukrainian border - have been forced to leave in the largest evacuation from a major Russian city since the conflict began.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, regional governor, said 300 former Belgorod residents have been moved to temporary accommodation in the towns of Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district.
He said: "Over the past 24 hours, we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city in other regions."
Russia has evacuated 300 people from a major city in a "unprecedented move" following a surge in frequent attacks from Ukraine
ReutersOn December 30, Belgorod saw 25 people including five children killed in one of the most fatal Ukrainian attacks.
On Monday, Ukraine reported that at least four people were killed after Russia launched more than 50 missiles and drones in the early hours.
Russia has concentrated on air strikes against Ukraine’s infrastructure - dubbed military targets.
However, civilian areas have been regularly hit.
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Earlier this week, Ukraine’s air force said it had shot down 18 out of 51 projectiles, including 32 cruise missiles and eight Iranian-made Shahed drones.
The Air Force said: "Critical infrastructure facilities, industrial civilian and military facilities were attacked."
In another attack, a shopping centre and private buildings were damaged in the southern city of Kryvyi Rih.
Governor Serhiy Lysak said one person was killed during the offensive.
Children, accompanied by their attendants, board a bus before leaving for recreation camps of the neighbouring Voronezh region as a result of recent reported Ukrainian shelling in Belgorod
Reuters
Lysak wrote on the Telegram messaging app: "The mad enemy once again struck civilians.
"Directed missiles at people."
The whole of Ukraine was under air raid alert for more than three hours on Monday.