(Belgorod Region, Russia) – Russian citizens living near the Ukrainian border are increasingly being forced to flee their homes amid mounting evidence that Russian authorities are deliberately making life unbearable in the region. A newly intercepted phone call released by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate reveals that residents in Russia’s Belgorod region are experiencing state-imposed deprivation aimed at pushing them out of their villages.
In the recorded conversation, a local man can be heard saying that gas supplies along the border have been cut off. He was reportedly told by authorities to “hold on a bit longer,” but suspects a darker motive. “It’s obvious they want to force everyone out of the border villages,” the man stated. He added that local officials are planning to turn the area into a sealed-off zone, describing it as a future “grey zone” enclosed with barbed wire.
The strategy appears to echo Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s recent calls to establish a “security buffer” along the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russia is attempting to create a buffer zone approximately 10 kilometres deep in the Sumy region, with over 50,000 troops amassed in the area. Ukrainian intelligence described the move as further evidence that the Kremlin is not interested in peace but rather continued occupation and suppression.
“For every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people, there will be just retribution,” stated Ukraine’s intelligence service, underlining Kyiv’s determination to hold Russian forces accountable.
Intercepted calls have been crucial in exposing Russia’s hidden actions. Ukrainian military eavesdropper Maria, in an earlier interview with the Kyiv Post, confirmed the authenticity of the calls despite Russia’s claims that they are faked. “They are all real, even though they might sound insane,” she said.
Elsewhere on the front, Ukraine’s 38th Marine Brigade destroyed a Russian 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer — a Soviet-era 122 mm artillery system designed for mobility and amphibious deployment. In a separate drone-led operation, Ukraine’s Phoenix border guard unit eliminated a Russian R330 Jatel electronic warfare system, which had been hidden in a residential area. The kamikaze drones successfully targeted and destroyed the jammer, further weakening Russia’s capacity to interfere with Ukrainian drone activity.
Additional strikes targeted military shelters and transport motorcycles used by Russian troops, disrupting their front-line logistics. These drone attacks signify Ukraine’s increasing tactical advantage in precision warfare.
Meanwhile, in occupied Kharkiv, a Russian airstrike on the city’s public transport depot destroyed one trolleybus and damaged many others. Over 30 residential buildings were also hit, severely impacting thousands of civilians. Ukrainian officials condemned the strike as a deliberate attack on civilian life and a breach of international humanitarian law.
In Serbia, an explosion at the Krusik ammunition factory in Valjevo injured five workers just one day after Russia accused the plant of covertly supplying weapons to Ukraine. While Serbia officially maintains a stance of neutrality, the Russian intelligence service alleges that Krusik has been shipping large quantities of artillery shells and rockets — some of which have appeared in Ukrainian arsenals.
The blast occurred during a routine procedure involving PETN, an explosive commonly used in anti-tank missile warheads. This is not the first such incident at the facility, which suffered a similar explosion last year that injured eight people.
While Italy has no current plans to lift restrictions on supplying long-range weapons to Ukraine, Western support continues to play a vital role. The United States is exploring increased economic pressure on Russia. Although US president Donald Trump remains cautious about new sanctions, insiders report that his frustration with the Russian dictator is growing, raising the possibility that he may support tariffs as high as 500 percent on buyers of Russian oil.
