Residents of Russia's Belgorod region say blackouts, air-raid sirens and the sound of gunfire aimed at incoming Ukrainian drones are becoming increasingly common, as Kyiv retaliates against repeated bombardments of its cities with cross-border strikes of its own.

"It's so loud and so terrifying," says Nina, a Belgorod resident who asked us to change her name.

"I was coming back from the clinic when a siren went off. As usual, I received Telegram alerts about a drone attack. Then bursts of automatic gunfire broke out, I ran into a nearby courtyard and tried to hide under an arch," she recalls.

"The next day it all happened again - air defence fire, automatic gunfire, explosions."

The number of Ukrainian drone attacks on the Belgorod region has increased nearly fourfold since the start of 2025, according to BBC News Russian analysis based on data from local authorities.

In September, more than 4,000 Ukrainian drones were recorded in the Belgorod region, compared with around 1,100 in January 2025. In one of the biggest strikes last month, the region was attacked with more than 260 drones, according to the governor. There has also been an increase in missile attacks since the summer.

Ukraine continues to suffer far greater losses from Russia's near-daily missile and drone strikes, which routinely kill civilians and leave cities across the country without power and heat.

At least seven people were killed, including two children, in Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities overnight into Wednesday, and there are fears that the coming winter may be the harshest yet for Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities say the recent surge of attacks on Belgorod, some of which have caused huge blackouts, is a direct result of Russia's latest onslaught on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

"Maybe they should stop being too comfortable there in Belgorod?" Zelensky said earlier this month. "They must understand: if they want to leave us without power, then we will do the same".

Belgorod region is a key logistics corridor and staging hub for Russian forces near the border with Ukraine. It is also a regular point of origin for artillery and short-range drone strikes.

Although there were local electricity outages in smaller towns in the region earlier in the war, the city of Belgorod was largely unaffected by power cuts until this autumn.

Local student Ekaterina (not her real name) told the BBC she was at home in the city on the evening of 28 September, when notifications started appearing on her phone: "Missile alert! Take shelter!"

The sound of howling sirens followed, and the lights in her flat started flickering.

"We ran to the corridor, because the explosions started almost immediately. They were very loud. The lights blinked and went out," Ekaterina recalls.

Missiles had hit the main Belgorod heat and power plant and a substation, local Telegram channels reported.

And while the city centre had its electricity back relatively quickly, some in the suburbs were left without power until morning. Across the region, around 77,000 people, or 5% of the population, still had no electricity the next day.

"While you're in the office in the centre, you wouldn't necessarily notice that there was a blackout. But when you're going home it's like entering a whole different world," another Belgorod resident Natalya (not her real name) tells the BBC.

"Complete darkness outside. Apartment blocks are without power, the shops are dark too. As you ride through the darkness, it's hard to tell where your stop is - you can't see anything".

Another big blackout came less than a week later.

Authorities admit they do not have the capacity to provide everyone with back-up generators and have called on residents to buy their own.

"But what are we suppose to fuel them with, given the fuel crisis?" Maria, an elderly resident who also asked to change her name, tells the BBC.

More than half of Russia's regions, including Belgorod, have been affected by petrol and diesel shortages, due to increased Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries.

"And the prices for generators have shot up as well," Maria says.

Ukraine has increased production of its "Darts" drone - lightweight and cheap models that can carry a 4kg (9lb) warhead - and many Belgorod residents say this is the reason the strikes have become more frequent. The drones are effective both for single and mass launches which can potentially overload air defence systems.

But the recent strikes on energy infrastructure that caused the blackouts in Belgorod are more likely to have involved heavier weapons. Reports say long-range Himars rockets or Morok drones with larger warheads might have been used.

And while for many in Russia the war still seems far away, residents of Belgorod region now feel its impact daily, like Ukrainians over the border.

"Until September, the war seemed to have faded into the background again. But now we are getting constant reminders - through power outages, fuel shortages, and a general sense of anxiety", says Yakov, who declined to give his real name.

"I personally have a strong feeling that, by continuing the war, Russia is racing headlong toward the abyss".

Additional reporting by Ilya Abishev