Russia vowed on Saturday to retaliate after it accused Ukraine of firing US-supplied ATACMS missiles at the border region of Belgorod.
“These actions by the Kyiv regime, which is supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliation,” the Russian defence ministry said, accusing Ukraine of targeting the region with the long-range missiles.
At least five people were killed in a series of Russian and Ukrainian strikes on Friday, officials said, the latest casualties of the nearly three-year war.
Among the strikes was an afternoon Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Chernigiv, which left at least one person dead and damaged a residential area, according to authorities.
“Today, the enemy launched a triple rocket attack on a residential area on the outskirts of Chernigiv,” regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus said.
“Several houses were heavily damaged. There are wounded. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.”
An AFP journalist heard loud explosions in the city, which lies to the north of Kyiv, some 75 kilometres (46 miles) from the Russian border.
The city head said four had been wounded in the strikes, according to initial reports.
Separate Russian bombardments on Friday killed a truck driver near the capital Kyiv and a pensioner in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, local officials said.