The regional official Vyacheslav Gladkov reported an explosion in Belgorod caused by an unknown device, leaving two people injured. He noted that preliminary findings suggest a drone crashed on a highway, resulting in two casualties. One person with a concussion was admitted to City Hospital No. 2, while the other declined hospitalization due to minor bruising. At the scene, responders including operations services, explosives experts, and investigators are assessing the damage to a car and surrounding area. The drone struck the Rosneft gas station on Shchorsa Street, as clarified by Belgorod Mayor Valentin Demidov. The device reportedly hovered at a low altitude at the moment of impact. Municipal teams are inspecting nearby homes for possible damage. Reports from Bel.Ru described shattered windows in neighboring buildings following the blast, which occurred around 4 pm in the Khargory district, accompanied by a loud whistle and rising smoke from the scene.
Air defense work over Belgorod and the shelling of Shebekino
Gladkov stated that Belgorod’s air defense system was active on June 1, with officers gathering information from the field as operations continued. Local residents reported hearing loud sky noises in the early evening. In the Shebekinsky urban district, a recent bomb attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces left 12 people injured in a single day. Authorities confirmed that medical care was provided to all victims and there were no reported fatalities. Several structures suffered damage, including four apartments, 18 private residences, three administrative buildings, a farm facility, a dormitory, and a kindergarten. More than 1,600 residents were displaced to temporary housing in Belgorod, with a second temporary facility near capacity. Five arrivals were recorded in the Belgorod region with many more in the Grayvoron area.
escape attempt
On June 1, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported a Ukrainian effort to breach the border town of Shebekino. The agency described a nighttime movement by 30 Ukrainian soldiers aboard three armored vehicles and four pickup trucks, following artillery shelling at the Shebekino checkpoint. The group reportedly came under fire and withdrew toward Pletenevka. A separate column of 20 soldiers with two armored vehicles was said to be advancing along the right bank of the Siversky Donets toward Novaya Tavolzhanka but dispersed after clashes with border guards in the Western Military District area. The updates reflect ongoing hostilities and the complexity of civilian safety amid regional tensions.