Two killed by shelling in Russia border region as hundreds flee

“Shrapnel hit cars passing by. Two women travelling in one of them died on the spot from their wounds”

Two civilians were killed on Friday in shelling on Russia's Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, while Kyiv was hit by Russian strikes overnight for a sixth day in a row.

The Ukrainian capital has seen almost nightly air raids in May after being relatively spared in the beginning of the year.

Strikes have also intensified in the Belgorod region, which has been hit by shelling and border incursions recently.

"Shrapnel hit cars passing by. Two women travelling in one of them died on the spot from their wounds," Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Two others were severely wounded by the shelling that hit a village in the Shebekino district, while other settlements were also hit without any reported casualties.

The head of the Shebekino district, Vladimir Zhdanov, said authorities were continuing to evacuate people but faced difficult conditions.

"Unfortunately, it is impossible to organise mass departure by bus or to gather people at a particular point... because of shelling risk," Mr. Zhdanov said.