01/10/2024
A day after Russian troops launched a massive missile attack on peaceful Ukrainian cities, loud explosions were heard in the center of the Russian city of Belgorod. It is from there that the Russian Federation carries out constant shelling of Kharkov and the region.
This shelling was one of the most powerful in almost two years of Russia’s great war against Ukraine. How do the Russian borderlands live now and have the moods of Russians changed?
Read more about this in the OBOZ.UA material.
The city looks like it’s gone
On December 30, 2023, powerful explosions occurred in the center of Belgorod. The Russian leadership calls this shelling of the city from Ukraine. In fact, Russian air defense shot down Ukrainian missiles directly over the center and debris fell onto the streets.
One of the explosions occurred near a shopping center, where Belgorod residents came to shop on the eve of the holidays. This came as a shock to the Russians.
For almost two years of the invasion of Ukraine, Belgorod residents experienced first-hand what the fall of burning debris, explosions and loss of life actually means. After that, sirens sounded in the city several more times, Russian air defense worked, and explosions were heard.
For several days Belgorod looked like an extinct territory. Until January 4, three large shopping centers in the city were closed; people tried not to go out onto the streets. And train tickets to Moscow were sold out; they even had to introduce two additional flights.
The children’s holidays were extended, and many parents decided to leave the city. Some went to visit relatives, others simply decided to wait in Moscow or St. Petersburg and spend time there at the same time. But most of the residents sat at home and thought about how to live further “, says local resident Katerina.
Shelters are closed
Belgorod residents literally attacked Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on social networks demanding help in leaving the city and providing some kind of temporary housing.
Just like last summer during shelling in the border Shebekino, the governor sent residents to Stary Oskol, Gubkin, and Korochansky district. There people were temporarily housed in hotels.
Complaints immediately began that in one of the hotels people were forced to pay for food, although they were promised free. Later, however, the money was returned.
Many Belgorod residents fear that from January 9 everyone will have to go to work. This means that schoolchildren will remain at home, because the holidays have been extended.
“Our so-called shelters are working very poorly. Most of them are closed or they are not equipped. These are ordinary basements, dirty, without chairs or benches. People ask what they should do. And the governor offers to take a vacation at his own expense and stay at home. This It irritates people, because you have to live on something, and leave without pay is given for two to three weeks,” says Katerina.
Belgorod schoolchildren can also be sent to other regions, even to Crimea. But the governor is not very concerned about the fact that there is also a war in Crimea and there are flights.
And not all children will be able to get to the camps. Parents complain that only a select few will go there – children of doctors and rescue workers, as well as children of refugees from Ukraine. The latter cause particular indignation among Belgorod residents. After all, they get certificates for housing and places in camps, but Russians get nothing.
Belgorod residents pack their bags
Judging by discussions on social networks, few residents of the Russian border city are aware of the reason for this situation. Few people began to call “SVO” a war and say that it was time to stop all this.
Most blame the Ukrainians and don’t even remember that it was the Russians who started the war. Moreover, almost every day an S-300 operates from Belgorod in the direction of Kharkov.
At the same time, the governor calmly writes on Telegram that if there is noise in the sky, then the Russian Armed Forces are working on the “other side,” so don’t worry.
“They say that when they arrived in one of the yards and the car overturned due to an explosion, its owner ran out into the street and yelled that all this was done by the “ho*ls”. He was so upset about his car. I would say that the degree hatred is growing. People don’t want to admit that it is the Russian Federation that is to blame for what is happening. And if someone condemns the war, there are those too, then they keep silent. Because we have a lot of patriotic snitches who will quickly turn you in,” continues Katerina .
However, some residents are already seriously packing their things to leave. On social networks they complain that rental prices in neighboring cities have increased. And when they find out that Belgorod residents are coming, they increase the price.
“Everyone writes: Belgorod, we are with you!!! But in fact, we barely rented an apartment in Kursk, we jumped out today. There is nothing in Oskol, the same in Gubkin. And Kursk – we had 10 calls, only Belgorod calls. The realtor’s eyes widen, says this has never happened before. Prices are creeping up!” – Natalya Tkachenko writes on VKontakte in the governor’s group.
Dozens of first aid courses are now being held in Belgorod. There they teach how to apply tourniquets, make bandages, and provide assistance for fractures. Residents are advised to go out with a first aid kit.
Belgorod residents also believe that during the New Year holidays they received too little attention on central Russian television channels. Most of the news was devoted to how Muscovites and St. Petersburg people celebrate holidays, where they go, what they eat, how they go to church. And about Belgorod there is at most one story and a running line.
Cool!
The war has barely touched the warmongers in mafia land, yet the warmongers are already panicking. What would they do if they had to live through what Ukrainians must … every day and night???
Weaklings!