Ukraine missile strike kills six in Belgorod as Russia hits Ukrainian port
Ukrainian missiles killed six in Russia’s Belgorod region and Russia responded with strikes on Ukraine’s Izmail port, signalling a sharp escalation in cross‑border attacks.
Ukrainian missiles struck the village of Koloskovo in the Valuysky district of the Belgorod region on Monday, killing six people and wounding four others, including a child, the acting governor said.
The village lies roughly 15 kilometres from the Ukraine border, making it a frequent target in the ongoing conflict. The attack destroyed a structure and damaged a vehicle, according to the governor on the state‑run MAX platform.
Just a day after the Belgorod strike, Russian forces hit the port city of Izmail in the Odesa region of Ukraine. Russian defence officials claimed they targeted a berthing terminal used for unloading military cargo, hangars holding Western equipment and depots for naval drones. Fires were reported but were quickly extinguished, Ukrainian authorities said on Telegram.
In a separate operation, Russian units struck a patrol boat and fuel storage tanks in Odesa. The local governor reported damage to a civilian Togo‑flagged vessel and four injuries.
Both sides have intensified missile and drone attacks, with Moscow increasingly using hard‑to‑intercept ballistic missiles as Ukraine’s air‑defence stocks dwindle after the US‑Israeli conflict diverted supplies. Kyiv has stepped up strikes on warehouses belonging to Russia’s biggest online retailer, Wildberries, accusing the firm of supplying drone components.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks on logistics hubs and oil refineries are intended to weaken Russia’s war economy. The United Nations recorded 437 civilian deaths in Ukraine in July, the highest monthly toll since May 2022, while Russian officials reported 79 civilian deaths on their side.
The surge in cross‑border strikes could harden public opinion in both countries, invite further international condemnation and make any cease‑fire negotiations more difficult. Analysts expect both Moscow and Kyiv to continue using long‑range weapons to pressure each other’s infrastructure, raising the risk of broader civilian harm.
For a broader view of how the war is affecting economies, see UK growth beats forecasts but war and tax clouds loom.