Russia's Belgorod region was rocked by a drone attack overnight, an official has said, as Ukraine entered the fifth year of the unprovoked war declared by Vladimir Putin on this day in 2022. A blast erupted at a gas distribution hub on February 24 before it was enveloped by a blaze. 

The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said a drone attack was launched on the distribution hub in the Borisovka area. Ukraine hasn't yet commented nor claimed the attack. Russian media outlet Pepel Belgorod reported residents heard a loud explosion moments before the facility burst into flames, though local officials initially stayed silent. Authorities have since confirmed homes lost gas supplies, schools were shut and kindergartens placed on standby as emergency crews scrambled to restore services. Officials said the blaze broke out at what was described as an "infrastructure facility" after the drone strike hit the site. Emergency teams were dispatched as engineers worked to restore gas supplies to private homes in the settlement.

The head of the Borisovsky district administration, Vladimir Pereverzev, said four schools in Borisovka were forced to close following the incident.

Four kindergartens were instead placed on standby as a precaution while authorities assessed the damage.

Local authorities had not immediately commented after initial reports of the explosion, which residents said they heard moments before the fire started.

Four years ago to the day, Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, on the orders of Vladimir Putin.

Missiles struck cities across the country before troops crossed the borders from Russia, Belarus and occupied Crimea in the early hours of the morning.

The assault triggered the largest war in Europe since the Second World War and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes.

Fighting has continued ever since, with both sides launching missile, artillery and drone strikes across the front line and beyond.

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