A firefighter tackles a blaze in Shebekino, Belgorod region, Russia, following a Ukrainian airstrike, 4 July 2025. Photo: Gladkov, Telegram

Locals who have left their homes in border districts of the Belgorod region in southwestern Russia have sent a joint complaint to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov about the lack of police and ineffective local authorities in the areas, regional news website Bel.ru reported on Monday.

Gladkov said residents of multiple border districts in the region were concerned about the properties they had left behind after evacuating from the area near the border with Ukraine, which has been subjected to frequent shelling since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.

Gladkov cited the example of the village of Murom, with about 250 residents, which has no police presence. Though there are self-defence units in the border area, their functions are limited to cooperating with the police, and they cannot ensure the safety of locals’ property, Gladkov continued.

“We must do more work in the area. That’s what the people want. It’s what the president wants,” Gladkov said.

People from border areas of the region frequently complain of looters, some of whom are likely to be Russian servicemen, according to Activatica, an organisation devoted to civic activism.

“Two houses had been broken into. One door had been crowbarred open, and the windows were smashed. There were signs of life in one house. In the yard, we found two bicycles stolen from other neighbours, two canisters with oil or gasoline … and traces of what we think were rations with the Russian army logo,” one local resident wrote on Gladkov’s social media, Activatica reported.