Ukrainian artillery fire targeted the town of Shebekino in the southwestern Belgorod region early Thursday morning, resulting in two fatalities, according to local officials.

A woman died immediately in the assault, while a man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital later, as reported by Belgorod region Governor Vyachslav Gladkov.

Shebekino, home to approximately 40,000 residents, has been subjected to frequent shelling from Ukraine’s Kharkiv region since the onset of Russia’s extensive invasion over three years ago.

Unofficial reports circulating on Telegram channels linked to Russian security agencies suggested that the man killed on Thursday was the father of a soldier serving in Ukraine’s Azov Battalion.

It has been alleged that Russian law enforcement has filed charges against the man’s son in absentia, claiming he was captured on video shooting at Russian soldiers in the legs.

The Moscow Times has not been able to independently authenticate this information.

In another incident, Gladkov reported that a man and a woman sustained injuries when debris from a destroyed Ukrainian drone fell in the city of Belgorod.

As a result of escalating security concerns related to the increasing frequency of Ukrainian attacks, the governor announced the cancellation of World War II battle commemorations scheduled for this coming Saturday.