ISTANBUL

Russia on Friday reported overnight Ukrainian drone strikes that have caused “extensive damage” in the country’s border region of Belgorod.

Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram reported an overnight airstrike in his region and that a meeting was conducted involving the heads of regional power companies, water utility, and the mayor of the region’s administrative center.

“We have extensive damage to the energy infrastructure of the city of Belgorod, as well as the Belgorod, Rakityansky, Borisovsky, Grayvoronsky, and Yakovlevsky districts,” Gladkov said.

Noting that efforts to restore power in the region have been ongoing since the attack, Gladkov added that restoration work continues in Belgorod, where services have not yet been able to fully restore power to the city.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed in a morning statement that its air defenses shot down 38 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 10 of them downed over the Belgorod region, the administrative center of which is about 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

It also claimed that 26 Ukrainian drones were shot down over the border region of Bryansk, where Governor Alexander Bogomaz also reported strikes targeting energy infrastructure, due to which power outages occurred in the region's Klintsovsky district.

“Despite repeated massive attacks, emergency services immediately responded. Thanks to the coordinated and professional work of all emergency services, power was quickly restored,” Bogomaz said.

Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the strikes or Russia’s claims.