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Belgorod Shuts Down Malls, Moves School Lessons Online Amid Large-Scale Drone Attack

Nikola Gungazov / TASS

Authorities in the southwestern Belgorod region said Wednesday that shopping malls would be temporarily closed and school instruction would be moved online amid Ukrainian drone attacks.

“Due to the operational situation, we’re temporarily suspending the operation of large shopping centers,” Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote in a message on Telegram.

Earlier, Gladkov said a Ukrainian attack damaged the regional government building and a home, though no injuries were reported.

Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said Ukraine launched 122 drones at the border region overnight, 11 of which were downed by air defense systems.

Later on Wednesday, Gladkov announced that schools would switch to remote learning for Thursday and Friday, while universities would decide individually whether to hold classes in person or online.

That message came shortly before the governor reported that three people were injured in drone attacks on the region.

Belgorod has faced regular cross-border shelling since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as well as periodic incursions by Ukrainian forces.

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