MOSCOW: Ukrainian attacks resulted in the deaths of two individuals in a Russian border region on Saturday, as Russia’s presidential elections entered their second day, poised to secure Vladimir Putin’s authoritative rule.
Despite polling officially beginning this week, the voting process has been overshadowed by a surge in fatal Ukrainian bombardments and incursions by pro-Ukrainian sabotage groups into Russian territories.
Putin, who cast his vote online, vowed a stern response to these assaults and accused Kyiv of attempting to disrupt his bid for another six-year term.
The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, near the border, reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted eight Ukrainian missiles, yet two residents lost their lives and several others were injured.
According to Vyacheslav Gladkov’s social media post, one victim was driving a truck when hit by a shell, leading to a collision with a passenger bus, fortunately without any injuries to its occupants. Another casualty occurred in a parking lot where a woman and her son were feeding dogs; medical professionals are currently fighting to save her son’s life.
Russia’s defense ministry confirmed intercepting rockets, missiles, and drones in border regions like Belgorod and Kursk, which have witnessed a surge in deadly attacks in recent weeks. Unverified images on social media depicted a substantial explosion destroying a car and sending debris flying.
Putin, speaking on Friday, promised repercussions for the aerial and ground assaults by Kyiv’s forces, stressing that they “will not go unpunished.”
At 71 years old, Putin has held power in Russia since December 31, 1999, and is poised to extend his influence until 2030 if re-elected. His candidacy remains unchallenged after disqualifying candidates opposed to the conflict in Ukraine, and following the death of his primary opponent, Alexei Navalny, in a prison under mysterious circumstances.
The Kremlin frames the election as an affirmation of Russians’ support for Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine, including voting in occupied territories. However, the first day of voting witnessed acts of vandalism in polling stations, along with arrests related to ballot tampering and arson attacks.
Moreover, the ruling United Russia party faced a significant hacking attack on its website, while security services detained Russians accused of aiding Ukrainian forces or planning sabotage activities.
On Saturday, authorities announced the arrest of a Russian man planning, with Kyiv’s assistance, to plant explosives on a railway line in the Urals. Ukrainian attacks have expanded beyond border regions, targeting oil facilities deep inside Russian territory, with recent incidents in the Samara region causing fires at two oil refineries.
