BELGOROD, Russia — Russian officials say Ukrainian military helicopters attacked a fuel depot inside Russia earlier today.
Unverified video shows the attack causing a massive explosion. Local officials in Belgorod, not far from the Ukrainian border, say the attack injured two workers.
The helicopters reportedly flew in at low altitude before launching the rocket attack. If confirmed this would be the first known attack on Russian soil since Moscow invaded Ukraine in late February.
Meanwhile, Russian troops have left Chernobyl in Ukraine. That’s according to the Ukrainian nuclear operator that oversees the nation’s nuclear power plants.
Russian troops took over the plant during the first week of the conflict. The nuclear disaster at the facility happened back in 1986.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are starting again this morning. They’ll be held by video following a sit-down meeting earlier this week. Meantime, the humanitarian crisis continues with up to 100-thousand people said to still be trapped in the hardest-hit city.
The talks come after face-to-face talks in Istanbul earlier this week that Moscow called “substantive.” Russia has said it is pulling back some troops around the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and will focus its efforts more in the east of the country, more than a month after the invasion began.
Despite the withdrawal from Chernobyl, Russian troops aren’t withdrawing from other parts of Ukraine; rather, they’re moving into new positions. That’s what NATO’s Secretary-General said.
He said the focus is turning to the Donbas region in the south-eastern part of the country. Jens Stoltenberg added that Russia is still focusing on cities including the capital of Kyiv. He insisted Russia has to be judged on what it does, not by what it says.
Still, some analysts think Russia might just be buying time after failing to meet their initial goals in the face of stiff Ukrainian resistance.
