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 next day it all happened again - air defence fire, automatic gunfire, explosions."
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.
