Russia has said its military is still working to create a "buffer zone" in the Ukrainian Kharkiv region, but this will take time, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
President Vladimir Putin said in May that Russia was creating a buffer zone to protect its border regions, especially Belgorod Oblast, which borders Kharkiv Oblast, from Ukrainian attacks.
"Of course, this task takes time to accomplish. Work in this direction is underway," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked how long it would take Russia to ensure the security of the Belgorod region.
Later on Wednesday, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced that one person was killed and seven others were wounded in Ukrainian shelling of the Russian border town of Shebekino.
According to Gladkov, three multi-storey residential buildings, several shops, an industrial building and 20 cars were damaged in the incident.
Shebekino and the entire Belgorod region have been subjected to frequent attacks by Ukrainian shells and drones in the course of the war, which has been going on for three years, according to Reuters.