The authorities of the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine and has been the target of repeated Ukrainian bombings, announced on Wednesday that they have increased security measures for schools and shopping centers, AFP reports.

In late December, its regional capital of the same name was the target of a Ukrainian attack that killed 25 people, the largest attack on civilians on Russian territory since Moscow began its offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

Since then, retaliatory bombings by Moscow forces in Ukraine have increased, undermining the Kremlin’s claim that the daily lives of Russians have not been disrupted by the conflict.

In an attempt to limit the consequences of these attacks, the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, announced on Wednesday the closing of shopping centers at 8:00 p.m.

In the schools located within a radius of 20 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, he clarified, in the next semester education will be carried out “at a distance”.

For schools that exceed this limit, distance learning will also be implemented “within a month” and the measure will be discussed again with parents in February, Gladkov added.

The start of the new school year has already been postponed until January 19, and according to the authorities, more than 2,000 children have been temporarily evacuated.

Last week, Governor Gladkov admitted that his region was going through “tough times”. “Everyone is afraid,” he said.