Belgorod governor describes situation as ‘difficult and tense’ amid Ukraine incursion into neighbouring Kursk.

The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region on Ukraine’s northern border has declared a regional state of emergency blaming relentless bombardment by Ukraine.

“The situation in the Belgorod region continues to be extremely difficult and tense,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.

Daily shelling by Ukraine’s armed forces had destroyed houses, and had killed and injured civilians, he added.

“Therefore, we are making a decision, starting today, to declare a regional emergency situation throughout the Belgorod region … with a subsequent appeal to the government to declare a federal emergency situation.”

Gladkov’s announcement comes as Russia battles to push back Ukrainian forces in neighbouring Kursk after thousands of soldiers launched a surprise assault across the border in the early hours of August 6.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the offensive is not aimed at taking Russian territory but as a way to force Russia into peace.

“Russia brought war to others, now it’s coming home,” he said on Tuesday as Kyiv said it had taken control of 74 settlements in Kursk, advancing over 40sq km (15sq miles) of territory in the past 24 hours.

Russia, which has deployed reinforcements to the region, said it had halted the Ukrainian advance and that attacks had been repelled at villages about 26 to 28km (16 to 17 miles) from the border.

More than 100,000 Kursk residents have been evacuated because of the Ukrainian attack.

Gladkov said Belgorod had also come under Ukrainian drone attack, and that while there were no casualties there was some damage to buildings. Earlier this week, it announced it would evacuate people living in the border district of Krasnoyaruzhsky.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently occupies about a fifth of Ukraine’s internationally-recognised territory.

More than 10,000 Ukrainians, including hundreds of children, have been killed as a result of the conflict, according to figures released by the United Nations in February this year. Schools, hospitals and other key infrastructure have also been destroyed.

Last month, UN human rights chief Volker Turk urged Russia to end its “coordinated, large-scale attacks against Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure” after a wave of attacks over the previous two months.