11 dead, 15 wounded in "terrorist attack" on Russian military site

At least 11 people were killed and 15 injured on Saturday in a terrorist attack on a Russian military site in the Belgorod region.

Two volunteer soldiers fired at other troops at a Russian military firing range near Ukraine, before being killed, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that the shooting took place in the Belgorod region in southwestern Russia that borders Ukraine. It said that the two volunteers from an unnamed ex-Soviet nation fired on other soldiers during target practice and were killed by return fire.

The ministry called the incident a terrorist attack.

The attack happened Saturday during a training session at the Western Military District, according to TASS, which cited the Russian Defense Ministry. The gunmen were said to be from former Soviet states. Russian officials have branded the attack an act of terrorism.

"As a result of a terrorist attack at a military training ground in the Belgorod region, 11 people were killed, 15 were injured and are receiving medical assistance," TASS reported.

"The incident occurred during a shooting training session with volunteers preparing for a special operation. The terrorists attacked the personnel of the unit with small-arms fire."

According to TASS, two individuals who committed the "terrorist act" were killed in retaliatory fire at the training ground.

The Belgorod region is in western Russia on the border with Ukraine.

The shooting comes amid a hasty mobilization ordered by President Vladimir Putin to beef up Russian forces in Ukraine -- a move that triggered protests and caused hundreds of thousands to flee Russia.

Putin said on Friday that over 220,000 reservists already had been called up as part of an effort to recruit 300,000.

Russian forces have launched hundreds of missile strikes in Ukraine over the past week.

The latest came Saturday, damaging an energy facility near Kyiv and prompting fears of blackouts.

President Vladimir Putin said he has no regrets about the missile barrage. He added there was no need for more massive strikes "at least for now."

Moscow announced evacuations from the occupied Kherson region, where a Russia-backed official said Saturday that the counteroffensive has intensified.