Residents of Russia's Belgorod region say blackouts, air-raid sirens and the sound of gunfire aimed at incoming Ukrainian drones are becoming increasingly common, as Kyiv retaliates against repeated bombardments of its cities with cross-border strikes of its own.
It's so loud and so terrifying, says Nina, a Belgorod resident who asked us to change her name.
I was coming back from the clinic when a siren went off. As usual, I received Telegram alerts about a drone attack. Then bursts of automatic gunfire broke out, I ran into a nearby courtyard and tried to hide under an arch, she recalls.
The number of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Belgorod region has increased nearly fourfold since the start of 2025, according to BBC News Russian analysis based on data from local authorities.
In September, more than 4,000 Ukrainian drones were recorded in the Belgorod region, compared to around 1,100 in January 2025. In one of the biggest strikes last month, the region was attacked with more than 260 drones. There has also been an increase in missile attacks since the summer.
Ukraine continues to suffer greater losses from Russia's near-daily missile and drone strikes, which routinely kill civilians and leave cities across the country without power and heat.
Ukrainian authorities state that the surge of drone attacks on Belgorod, some of which have caused significant blackouts, is a direct result of Russia's ongoing assaults on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Local authorities admit they do not have the capacity to provide everyone with back-up generators and have called on residents to buy their own, amid a growing fuel crisis.
As Belgorod is a key logistical hub for Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, the repeated attacks signal that the war is impacting life in Russia, not just Ukraine.
Strikingly, many locals have expressed a growing sense of anxiety as the war's ramifications echo throughout Belgorod, starkly contrasting with how life was even just a few months prior.
