Russia asks Belgorod residents to tape windows after shelling

The Russian city of Belgorod bordering Ukraine urged residents to secure their windows with tape Friday to protect them from frequent Ukrainian shelling.

The Kremlin has tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy on the home front, but recent deadly strikes on Belgorod have brought the Ukraine conflict closer to Russians.

“Rescuers of the Belgorod State Emergency Situations Department recommend taping windows with scotch tape,” Belgorod city hall said.

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“This is a good way to protect them from the blast wave. The glass will not shatter into small fragments,” it added, sharing an infographic on how best to apply the tape.

Belgorod city lies about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the border and has been repeatedly struck by what Moscow says is indiscriminate shelling by Kyiv’s forces.

The warning comes less than a week after authorities said Ukrainian shelling in the city killed 25 people, in the worst attack on Russian civilians since the conflict began.

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On Thursday, schools close to the Ukrainian border in the region were ordered to extend their winter holidays due to the threat of ongoing attacks.

© Agence France-Presse