Residents flee the polling station
Russian border region reports new rocket fire
March 15, 2024, 10:27 a.m
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Heavy fighting has been raging in the Russian border region of Belgorod for several days. The fighting is believed to be initiated by nationalists critical of the Kremlin who want to “liberate” the area. Apparently they strike again on the first official election day.
According to official reports, the border region of Belgorod came under fire again on the first day of the much-criticized Russian presidential election. According to initial findings, two people were injured, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram this morning with.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, seven Ukrainian missiles were fired over Belgorod. It is said that all attacks have been repelled. “Over the past three days, from March 12 to 14, the troops of the Russian Armed Forces (…) thwarted all attempts by Ukrainian militants to enter the territory of the Belgorod and Kursk regions of the Russian Federation,” the Defense Ministry said. The information cannot be independently verified.
Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reports, People would have had to leave the polling stations in the meantime and seek refuge in shelters. Moscow blames Ukraine for the shelling, against which Russian leader Vladimir Putin has been waging a brutal war of aggression for more than two years. In fact, it often appears that paramilitary organizations are behind the attacks. They fight on the Ukrainian side, but are mainly made up of Russian nationalists.
According to Russian reports, two people were killed and at least 19 people were injured in the fighting on Thursday. According to its own statements, the Russian army managed to “decimate” the attackers.
“Russian Volunteer Corps”
The associations, which have names such as the “Russian Volunteer Corps” or “Russian Freedom Legion,” say they have fought battles with the Russian army in the border area in recent days and have announced further attacks on social media. They have stated the goal of “liberating” the Belgorod and Kursk regions and called on civilians to leave the areas.
The election is intended to secure Vladimir Putin’s fifth term in office and is scheduled for three days until Sunday evening. The Kremlin leader is competing with three minor candidates in the mock vote, as all major opponents are either dead, imprisoned or in exile. In mid-February, Putin’s most prominent opponent, Alexei Navalny, died under unclear circumstances in a prison camp in the Arctic Circle.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in Kiev called on the international community on Thursday to reject the results of Russia’s presidential election, calling it a “farce.” Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya, continuing her husband’s fight, asked Russians to vote for any candidate except Putin. She also called for protests in front of polling stations.