The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region on Ukraine’s northern border has declared a regional state of emergency blaming relentless bombardment by Ukraine, Paralel.Az reports citing Al Jazeera.

“The situation in the Belgorod region continues to be extremely difficult and tense,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.

Daily shelling by Ukraine’s armed forces had destroyed houses, and had killed and injured civilians, he added.

“Therefore, we are making a decision, starting today, to declare a regional emergency situation throughout the Belgorod region … with a subsequent appeal to the government to declare a federal emergency situation.”

Gladkov’s announcement comes as Russia battles to push back Ukrainian forces in neighboring Kursk after thousands of soldiers launched a surprise assault across the border in the early hours of August 6.

Russia, which has deployed reinforcements to the region, said it had halted the Ukrainian advance and that attacks had been repelled at villages about 26 to 28km (16 to 17 miles) from the border.

More than 100,000 Kursk residents have been evacuated because of the Ukrainian attack.

Gladkov said Belgorod had also come under Ukrainian drone attack, and that while there were no casualties there was some damage to buildings. Earlier this week, it announced it would evacuate people living in the border district of Krasnoyaruzhsky.