Russia says Ukraine is to blame for an attack on an apartment building that has left at least seven people dead.
The block of flats in the Russian border city of Belgorod partially collapsed on Sunday, leaving at least another 17 people injured.
Russian officials blamed Ukrainian shelling for the attack, which caused at least 10 storeys of the building to crumble.
Russia says it shot down a missile launched by Ukraine, and fragments of the missile then damaged the apartment building.
Cities across western Russia have come under regular attack from drones in the past year.
This is one of the deadliest attacks to date in the Belgorod region.
Ukrainian officials have never taken responsibility for attacks on Russian territory.
Fighting continues near Kharkiv
Across the border, Ukraine says it is facing a difficult situation as fighting near the country’s second largest city intensifies.
Russia says it has taken another four villages on Sunday – Hatyshche, Krasne, Morokhovets and Oliinykove – after previously saying its forces took five villages on Saturday.
Russia launched a new assault in Ukraine’s northern region near the city of Kharkiv on Friday, threatening to open up a new front.
But Ukraine’s military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said his army was repelling Russian attacks.
“The situation is difficult but [we] are doing everything to hold defensive lines and positions,” he said.
At least 4,000 civilians have fled Russia’s renewed offensive since Friday.
Ukraine is urging residents in Kharkiv to remain calm.
In 2022, Russian forces reached Kharkiv’s suburbs before being driven back to the border.
Analysts say the new Russian push is aimed to exploit Ukraine’s ammunition shortages before promised Western supplies can reach the front line.
Reuters/AP
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