The head of the Shebekinsky urban district, Vladimir Zhdanov, spoke at an operational briefing about a sharp escalation of shelling in the Belgorod region. He reported that Ukrainian forces unleashed more than 70 rockets from Grad multiple launch rocket systems against the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka. The volley, he noted, arrived by mid-morning, underscoring a sustained pattern of fire directed at border communities in recent days.
According to Zhdanov, the assault began early in the day and saw an intense wave of Grad MLRS projectiles reaching Tavolzhanka by around 8:30 am. The strikes reinforced a broader assessment of ongoing military activity near the regional frontier, where border security elements and local authorities have repeatedly acknowledged the danger posed to civilians and civilian infrastructure by cross-border hostilities.
In the wake of the attack, Shebekino reportedly endured more than a dozen additional artillery strikes. These events have contributed to a tense security environment in the district, with residents in several villages remaining on heightened alert as the situation evolves and authorities coordinate evacuation and safety measures where feasible.
Earlier reports described a mass displacement in Novaya Tavolzhanka as residents fled the village amid the territorial confrontation that has involved a combined presence of local defense assurances and cross-border forces. The regional authorities noted that a raid by a sabotage and reconnaissance group had been the proximate cause of the turmoil, prompting precautionary actions across the district. The defense ministry later stated that units from the Western Military District were tasked with guarding the state border and that border service units identified a Ukrainian attempt to cross the river near Novaya Tavolzhanka. The engagement around the Belgorod region was characterized by Russian artillery reactions, which, according to officials, disrupted and compelled the retreat of the saboteur forces. In the days that followed, officials emphasized the resilience of border communities and the readiness of security personnel to respond rapidly to any new incursions or provocations, reiterating a commitment to preserving civilian safety while continuing essential monitoring of the border region.