Sky's victoriaelms investigates the reasons why it isn't back to 'normal life' for Russia's border towns
Shebekino, which is home to about 40,000 people, sits just a few miles from Russia's border with Ukraine. It garnered international attention in early June when a paramilitary group aligned with Ukraine crossed the border and attempted to take up positions on the town's outskirts.
It was the second time in two weeks that a militant group crossed over from Ukraine into Russian territory to engage in combat - something not previously seen inBut local authority reporting, as well as independent analysis from the defence intelligence firm Janes, indicates that shelling and drone attacks in the region had been escalating for weeks before - and continued at this level for long after the ground assault was repelled on 1 June. "The sirens told us to go down to our basements first thing this morning, there were such horrible explosions, even our basement shook," one elderly Shebekino resident told a local journalist in May. "We never thought our town would suffer like this. We have never been so scared as we were today... I pray to God that all of this can be rectified." Throughout June, access to the city was restricted for security reasons with limited electricity and drinking water. According to the Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, 6,000 people from Shebekino moved to temporary accommodation centres in towns across the region following an evacuation order, with many others leaving independently. By July, he said nearly 800 buildings had been damaged in the town since the beginning of the summer, including 494 houses. Sky News has not been able to verify any of these figures. The authorities are now keen to portray an image of a Shebekino on the mend, where violence is a thing of the past. Mr Gladkov's Telegram channel shows him visiting some of the buildings under reconstruction in the area. Statements issued by him say 110 sites in the town are currently being renovated following shelling damage.Images posted to Gladkov's Telegram channel in July show restoration work underway in Shebekino. Image: Vyacheslav Gladkov via TelegramThe image of a rehabilitated Shebekino has also been broadcast by Russia's national media. A seven-minute-long news report by the broadcaster RT showed viewers ongoing construction work around the town, as well as interviews with locals describing how the town is returning to"normal life".This report by the Russian broadcaster RT was shared in a Shebekino residents page on July 13. Image: RT A comment under the video on one local community page refers to the military flak jacket worn by the reporter:"Normal life you say? What's with the body armour then?" The authorities even began offering those housed in temporary accommodation the opportunity to return to Shebekino on 4 July, but intense shelling in the days that followed meant these returns have now been postponed. The comments underneath Mr Gladkov's announcement video reveal the concerns held by many at the prospect of re-starting their lives in Shebekino. The daily regional shelling reports shared on Mr Gladkov's Telegram channel suggest these fears may be well founded. The figures are given daily via the messaging app Telegram, which means it can be difficult for locals to keep track of trends in the shelling over time. Sky News compiled the data and found that Shebekinsky district, where Shebekino is situated, has been shelled every day since the daily reporting of attacks started on 20 May. The incidents can't all be independently verified and Russian authorities have been known to distort information relating to the Ukraine war. But they represent the information being presented to Russian citizens. The reports indicate that direct hits on Shebekino have become less frequent. But the consequences are still grave - the authorities say a woman died on 16 July following what they said was a GRAD missile attack on the centre of town.On 17 July, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence Agency released a video that it said showed a group of Chechen volunteers fighting on behalf of Ukraine attacking a Russian military convoy near the village of Sereda in Shebekinsky district.Twitter , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enablecookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the
Please follow us on Google to support us United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why the Grumpy Girl Stomp is TikTok’s best walking trend yet“The idea is that by stomping around in nature – reaping all the benefits of being surrounded by greenery – you’ll process whatever’s pissed you off. You’ll return from your stomp calmer, happier and ready to move on.”
Read more »
Why Chelsea don't have a front-of-shirt sponsor revealed after Premier League vetoFront-of-shirt sponsorship deals are one of the best ways for Premier League football clubs to make money. Therefore, Chelsea’s current situation is far from ideal, given they currently have …
Read more »
Why Russia’s bombings of Ukrainian ports have jolted wheat pricesGlobal supplies of grain are plentiful for now, but at greater risk
Read more »
Should Ukraine get Russia’s frozen reserves?It is possible to help Ukraine, make Russia pay for the war—and uphold international law. Here’s how
Read more »
Could Ukraine’s allies be doing more?Russia’s arsenal still dwarfs Ukraine’s
Read more »
Russia pushes plan to supply grain to Africa and cut out Ukraine\n\t\t\tExpert insights, analysis and smart data help you cut through the noise to spot trends,\n\t\t\trisks and opportunities.\n\t\t\n\t\tJoin over 300,000 Finance professionals who already subscribe to the FT.
Read more »