thousands of The Russians were forced to flee homes near the border with Ukraine amid intense bombing in the region.
Shebekino, town of 40,000 people in Western Belgorod regionwas heavily bombed for days.
The attacks followed a dramatic armed incursion from Ukraine, which sent thousands fleeing border villages for the regional centre of Belgorod.
“we left Where (Chepkino) was bombed so much that we have windows The retired engineer, Zykina, told the French news agency (Agence France Presse).
said a neighbor in In his thirties, his hand was amputated after he was injured in bombing.
“Many homes were destroyed,” she said.
75-year-old mentioned that many attacks were hit Shebekino but not that intensely.
“They are now hit Center of City.”
Zykina got in a car with friend and drove 30 kilometers (18 miles) to Belgorod city, where the authorities placed the displaced villagers. in the local sports Venue Belgorod Arena.
Moscow appears to be underestimating the situation in Border areas that have come under heavy bombardment this week, despite local authorities announcing evacuations.
On Friday, Mayor of About 5,000 people, Valentin Demidov Belgorod told AFP people who They fled from the border villages with city authorities, with several hundred in Temporary housing.
Address Putin
in traffic sports In the square, evacuees told AFP they had fled Shchebekino in Panic periods of Bombing.
“we left As it was there small A break (between the blows)” He said 30-year- Old Margarita Nikolaeva
she left with Ha husbandtwo childrenand three cats dog.
“We were in Cellar from three to six in the morning. Then, as things got quieter, we were in a car,” the tech said an assistant.
the family He moved to Chebykino from Siberia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We moved to the safer one place in Russia,” Nikolaeva said sarcastically.
Nadezhda Otstavnaya left Schepkino with Ha husband “in Our old rusty car. “
they took the back The roads leading to Belgorod because “they were bombing the centre of City.”
“She was very scary,” said the retired lab worker.
Like many others, she paid tribute to the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who Provide daily updates on The situation deteriorated in Belgorod.
But she had questions for Russia powerful state media – And even the Kremlin – why events in Belgorod is not ahead of Russian news.
“I want To address .. our central television until our town and region Will be featured no for Three seconds to that people (the Russians) know about us she said.
We are the people of Schepkino, I lost everything.
she also Urged “Russian governmentMr. Putin, to pay attention to him us. “
on a temporary family in the sports On the scene, the evacuees saw no end in fighting in Vision.
Ksenia and 31-year-old shop Factor who did not want to give Ha last name, left Schepkino with Ha husband And parents on evacuation bus.
“It’s a hopeless situation,” she said.
She said the locals in Shebekino “do not enter” in politics of the offensivea common Approaching in Russia.
she expressed support for Putin’s policies and the Russian military.
“Of course, we hope that everything is fine, that we have it guys will win,” she said, adding:
“our guys will chase (Ukrainians) move away and we can go back to our country homes. “
Yevgeny Klyuchnikov, a 44-year-old carpenter, said it was time to leave Schepkino when he woke up up By firing rockets earlier this week.
He said that the town used to come under attack from time to time, but it is empty now that the bombing has intensified.
“We always jumped out of the noise, but then we got used to it quietly.”
“But this bombing… it’s very intense scary. “
He said he was counting on Russian state step in.
“if it was government no help rebuildno give us a dwelling, then we would all be homeless.”
