Ukraine Strikes Hit Targets Inside Russia

Ukrainian strikes on a Russian border city, as well as attacks elsewhere on fuel facilities and arms producers, have damaged President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to reassure his countrymen that their lives have been largely untouched by the nearly 2-year-old war. As he ramps up his reelection campaign ahead of a presidential vote in March, the Kremlin wants to maintain an air of normalcy. The Dec. 30 missile attack on the city of Belgorod that killed 25 people and injured more than 100 marked a bloody escalation in the minds of many Russians. Residents in the city say they flinch at any loud noise these days and are afraid to venture outside.