Moscow, 29 June 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Five people were killed in a drone attack in the Russian region of Kursk, near the border with Ukraine, according to local Russian authorities.

The governor of the Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, announced on Saturday that two small children were among the dead. He said Ukraine was responsible for the attack.

According to Smirnov, a residential building in the village of Gorodishche was struck in the attack. Two seriously injured people were taken to hospital.

The Kursk region, like the other Russian areas along the border with Ukraine such as Bryansk, Belgorod and Rostov, has been targetted by repeated Ukrainian strikes as the country battles against the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion.

The Ministry of Defence in Moscow announced on Saturday morning that six attacking drones had been shot down overnight in a total of four Russian regions on Saturday night.

Dpa is unable to independendtly verify information provided by the Russian authorities.

According to Ukraine, the attacks on Russian territory are directed against Russian military positions.

However, civilians have also been repeatedly impacted by attacks - for example when debris from downed drones falls to the ground.

The consequences on the Russian side of the border, however, are relatively small compared to the high number of victims and the massive destruction caused by continuous Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Photo: MIA Archive