Fierce fighting is taking place on the Russian border as Ukrainian forces try to invade the southern Belgorod region, Russian channels on Telegram reported.

The Mash Telegram channel reported that around 500 Ukrainian soldiers attacked two checkpoints in Nekhoteyevka and Shebekino in Belgorod with fighting raging in both areas, Reuters reported.

The head of the Belgorod region, confirming reports of a Ukrainian attack, said the situation on the border with Ukraine was “difficult but under control”.

Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov issued a brief statement following the Telegram reports, stressing “there is information that the enemy is trying to break through the borders of the Belgorod region.”

“According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the situation on the border remains difficult, but under control. Our army is carrying out planned operations. Please keep calm and trust only official sources of information.”

Belgorod borders the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops have occupied Russian territory since August 6 when they staged a surprise invasion.

Zelensky: “We will respond to Russian strikes”

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged that Kiev would respond to the massive Russian raids of the past two days.

Russia used “over 90 aerial targets against civilians and infrastructure,” he said, including 81 drones, and surface-to-air and surface-to-air ballistic missiles.

“We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished,” Zelensky added in a social media post.

Russia is escalating its mass attacks

At least four people were killed last night in Ukraine by new Russian strikes, the day after one of the most “massive” attacks carried out since the beginning of the conflict.

Two people were killed in the region of Kryvyi Rih (central Ukraine) and five were injured in a “hit”, the Ukrainian emergency services announced on Telegram.

“Around midnight, a rocket hit a hotel and partially destroyed the four-story building,” the source said.

A man and a woman were also killed in a Shahid drone strike that destroyed homes in the Zaporizhia region, local governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Ukraine shot down five missiles and 60 drones fired by Russia during an overnight attack, the Ukrainian air force said.

Russia fired 10 missiles and 81 drones during the attack, the Air Force added in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Aviation alerts were sounded this morning, mainly in the northern regions of the country.

“The Ukrainian Air Force confirms the take-off of (Tupolev bombers) Tu-95MS from the Engels Air Base (in southwestern Russia). Missiles may enter Ukrainian airspace in about two hours,” the Ukrainian air force said via Telegram at around 04:00 (local and Greek time), adding that drones were also headed for its territory.