In a disturbing turn of events, Ukrainian bombardments on Saturday resulted in the deaths of two individuals and the ignition of an oil facility in Russia. These incidents occurred on the second day of the highly anticipated presidential elections, which are poised to solidify President Vladimir Putin's hardline rule.

The ongoing voting process has been marred by a rise in fatal Ukrainian aerial attacks and a series of incursions by pro-Ukrainian sabotage groups into Russian territory. The recent bombardments compelled authorities to close schools and shopping centers in the Belgorod region, which shares a border with Ukraine. This is seen as a setback in the Kremlin's efforts to isolate Russians from the conflict with Kyiv that has persisted for two years.

President Putin, casting his vote online, has responded with a vow to take a harsh stance against the assaults. He has accused Ukraine of attempting to "disrupt" his bid for another six-year term. According to the governor of the Belgorod region, air defense systems successfully downed eight Ukrainian missiles. However, the attacks claimed the lives of two residents, leaving others injured. Tragically, a woman was killed in a parking lot while feeding dogs with her son, who is now fighting for his life.

As a result of the fresh wave of bombardments, the governor of Belgorod announced the temporary closure of schools and shopping centers in the city of Belgorod and some surrounding districts. This marks the second time this month that such measures have been taken.

Russia's Defense Ministry stated that rockets, missiles, and drones had been downed in the border regions of Belgorod and Kursk, which have recently experienced an increase in fatal attacks. The Ministry further confirmed that Russian forces successfully repelled additional attempted infiltrations by "Ukrainian militant sabotage and reconnaissance groups".

Meanwhile, officials in the occupied Kherson region of southern Ukraine, which serves as a Kremlin proxy, reported one fatality and four injuries resulting from a drone attack.

The border attacks have raised concerns among voters in Sergiev Posad, a town located outside Moscow, renowned for its ornate Orthodox monastery. Voters there are hoping that the elections will bring an end to the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. 87-year-old Inessa Rozhkova, casting her ballot from home with the assistance of election officials, expressed her concerns about the number of lives lost in the conflict and the suffering of border villages.

In nearby polling stations, such as the one set up in a vocational school, supporters of Putin, like 68-year-old Elena Kirsanova, maintain a resilient stance. Kirsanova boldly stated that attempts to intimidate the Russian populace would not succeed.

President Putin, who has been in power since December 31, 1999, looks set to extend his control until 2030. With no genuine competition in the elections and opposition candidates barred, Putin's main opponent, Alexei Navalny, died under mysterious circumstances in an Arctic prison about a month ago.

The Kremlin has positioned the elections as an opportunity for Russians to demonstrate their support for Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine. Notably, voting is also being held in occupied Ukrainian territory.

The first day of voting witnessed acts of vandalism in polling stations, resulting in arrests of individuals accused of tampering with ballots or committing arson attacks. Further incidents occurred in Yekaterinburg and Kaliningrad, where two Russians were accused of pouring green ink resembling the surgical antiseptic zelyonka into ballot boxes.

Additionally, the ruling United Russia party, known for its unwavering support of Putin, reported being targeted by a large-scale hacking attack on its website.

As polling stations opened, the FSB security service announced a series of arrests of individuals accused of assisting Ukrainian forces or plotting sabotage at military and transport facilities.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has spilled beyond border regions, with recent weeks seeing Ukrainian forces target oil facilities deep within Russian territory. The governor of the Samara region reported that Ukrainian drones attacked two oil refineries, causing a blaze at one of them.

A defense source in Kyiv revealed that the attack was part of a larger strategy by the SBU security services to disrupt Russia's economic potential. The source emphasized that each defeat reduces the flow of petrodollars, which sustains Russia's war economy.

The situation remains tense as the presidential elections unfold amidst heightened regional tensions and ongoing violence along the Ukraine-Russia border.

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