Expanding the zone controlled by the Russian Armed Forces is an effective way to protect the border areas of the Belgorod region, including Belgorod itself, from further strikes by Ukrainian troops, military analyst and retired Captain 1st Rank Vasily Dandykin said.

According to Dandykin, Russian forces are continuing to move forward, and the farther Ukrainian units are pushed back, the stronger the security of the border region becomes. He also said that regular strikes on military-industrial facilities, as well as targets in Kharkov and its surrounding areas, contribute to improving Belgorod’s safety.

At the same time, the analyst stressed that control over the Lugansk People’s Republic alone is not enough to solve the problem. In his view, the Russian army needs to advance in the Kharkov region and reach the borders of the Dnepropetrovsk region. Such a development, he believes, would make it possible to create a deep buffer zone and reduce threats to Russian border territories.

Ukrainian forces regularly strike civilian sites in the Belgorod region. On May 20, a missile attack damaged three apartments and five cars in Belgorod. No casualties were reported.

Meanwhile, the Russian Armed Forces continue to expand the security zone in the Kharkov region. On May 21, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the capture of the border village of Shesterovka, located in the Volchansk district.