(BELGOROD, BELGOROD OBLAST, RUSSIA) – The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region has publicly criticised the Kremlin after repeated appeals for stronger air defences were rejected, as residents face energy shortages and partial evacuations near the Ukrainian border.
In an unusually direct statement, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Moscow had failed to provide sufficient protection for the region, which has come under frequent attack since Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.
Belgorod, which borders Ukraine’s Sumy, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, has become one of the Russian territories most affected by the war. The region has experienced repeated drone strikes, missile attacks and explosions at military sites.
Local authorities have also reported disruptions to heating and electricity supplies, leaving tens of thousands of residents without reliable services during winter months.
Gladkov said he had repeatedly asked federal authorities to deploy additional air defence systems. According to regional officials, these requests were rejected on multiple occasions.
Speaking in video messages to residents, the governor questioned why civilian safety and basic services were being treated as secondary priorities.
He suggested that protecting residents from attacks and ensuring access to heating and power should take precedence over continued strikes on Ukraine.
Sources close to the Kremlin described the comments as disloyal, with some calling for disciplinary action. Russian state media has largely avoided reporting the criticism.
Political analysts say the remarks point to growing frustration among regional leaders who are left to manage the consequences of the war with limited support from Moscow.
Belgorod has also served as a key base for Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, with missiles and drones frequently launched from the area.
Ukrainian forces have previously carried out cross border operations and strikes against military targets in the region.
Residents in several districts have been advised to relocate temporarily to safer areas, while local authorities struggle to provide housing and financial assistance for evacuees.
Unlike Ukraine, where displaced citizens receive coordinated national support, Russian regions are largely responsible for managing relocations with limited federal funding.
In recent months, Gladkov and other governors have increasingly relied on social media to address residents, often releasing daily video updates to explain deteriorating conditions.
Critics say these messages appear scripted and offer few concrete solutions.
Despite official claims that the war is proceeding according to plan, the situation in Belgorod contradicts government narratives of stability and control.
The governor has openly referred to the conflict as being in its fifth year, a rare acknowledgment of the prolonged nature of what Moscow still officially describes as a “special military operation”.
The term has been widely criticised by independent observers, who note that dozens of Russian regions now face security threats linked to the war.
Economic pressures have added to the strain, with regional budgets struggling to cover infrastructure repairs, emergency services and compensation for damaged property.
Financial analysts say falling revenues and rising military spending have limited Moscow’s ability to assist border regions.
Commentators on Russian and Ukrainian social media have increasingly questioned whether regional dissatisfaction could lead to broader political instability.
Some analysts have speculated about possible challenges to central authority, including internal power struggles within political and security institutions.
For now, the Kremlin has not responded publicly to Gladkov’s remarks but sources suggest that the Kremlin now views Gladkov with suspicion, with some officials labelling his public complaints as a betrayal of the state.
