The Russian border region of Belgorod declared a state of emergency on Wednesday as Ukrainian forces continue to advance into Russian territory. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the situation was extremely difficult and tense, with Ukrainian forces bombarding border areas with drones and missiles. In response, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its forces repelled 117 Ukrainian drone attacks and destroyed four tactical missiles. Following the Russian military operation in Ukrainian territory a week ago, the Kursk region declared a national-level state of emergency, which is one level higher than the current state of emergency in the neighboring Belgorod region. In related news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported yesterday that Ukrainian forces have taken control of dozens of Russian towns in the Kursk region. News about the ground situation in southern Russia remains conflicting, with Moscow's forces claiming to have repelled the Ukrainian advance, while Kyiv's forces em phasize their success in penetrating Russian defenses in Kursk. Source: Qatar News Agency