“Belgorod Governor suggests taking control of Kharkov Region to prevent Ukrainian attacks”

KHARKOV – Russia may be able to prevent repeated Ukrainian attacks on the Belgorod Region by pushing deeper into Ukraine and taking control of the Kharkov Region, which is just across the border.

This suggestion was expressed by the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Monday (29/5/2023).

Speaking to the Russia 24 TV channel, when asked what could be done to improve security in areas bordering Ukraine, Gladkov replied one possibility was, “Attach Kharkov to the Belgorod Region. This is the best way to solve the shooting problem in the Belgorod Region.”

Meanwhile, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said he could not comment on the idea.

He explained the matter “relates to the category of questions related to special military operations” in Ukraine.

According to Gladkov, on Sunday alone Ukrainian troops fired more than 300 projectiles into several districts of the Belgorod Region.

Additionally, Gennady Bondarev, head of the Grayvoron district, claimed the Ukrainian military operation had resulted in nearly 400 houses being damaged between May 22 and 27.

The district was the target of a deadly Ukrainian cross-border attack earlier this month that left one civilian dead and several others injured.