The conviction is part of a broader investigation into the embezzlement of funds allocated for border defense infrastructure in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.

Authorities have pursued multiple former officials in the region following allegations that money intended to strengthen frontier defenses was misappropriated.

Parts of the Kursk region were seized by Ukrainian forces for several months in 2024, underscoring its strategic importance.

Details of the specific charges against Smirnov were not immediately disclosed, but the case reflects an ongoing crackdown on corruption linked to defense spending in border areas.

Medical personnel and humanitarian organizations say Israeli attacks have increasingly hit hospitals, ambulances and emergency responders during the ongoing campaign against Hezbollah, which Israel accuses of operating from civilian areas.

Hezbollah denies using medical facilities for military purposes.According to Lebanon’s health ministry, at least 54 health professionals have been killed since hostilities escalated on March 2. The ministry also reported 152 attacks on ambulances and emergency teams, as well as the closure of six hospitals and 49 health clinics due to damage or security threats.

In the southern port city of Sidon, hospitals are facing mounting pressure as casualties rise. Doctors say the influx of wounded has strained a system already weakened by years of economic crisis and limited resources. Power outages and shortages of medical supplies have further complicated treatment efforts.

Dr. Mohammed Ziara, a burn surgeon from Gaza now working in Sidon with the UK-based nonprofit Interburns, said the situation resembled what he experienced during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. He said frontline hospitals are overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the volume of injuries.

The Sidon Government Hospital, where a specialized burn unit has been established, is receiving patients from across southern Lebanon, particularly from areas near the evacuation zone. Medical teams say capacity constraints often require discharging patients to accommodate new arrivals.

The World Health Organization said Israeli strikes on March 28 killed multiple paramedics responding to earlier attacks, highlighting the risks faced by emergency responders. The Israeli military has said some targeted individuals were affiliated with Hezbollah, though it has not provided public evidence.

Human rights organizations say such incidents echo earlier patterns observed in Gaza, where the United Nations reported high casualties among health workers and journalists during Israeli operations.

Analysts warn that repeated strikes on medical infrastructure could further degrade Lebanon’s already fragile health system.Civilians and medical staff say evacuation orders and ongoing bombardment have displaced more than one million people, forcing patients and hospitals to relocate under difficult conditions.

Transfers often require coordination among multiple authorities, leading to delays that doctors say can be life-threatening.Lebanese officials and residents have also raised concerns about the unpredictability of strikes.

Some civilians say attacks have hit residential areas without warning, complicating efforts to identify safe zones.Israel maintains that its operations target Hezbollah infrastructure and that the group’s presence in civilian regions complicates military action.

The escalation follows Hezbollah’s entry into the regional conflict alongside Iran, prompting expanded Israeli operations in southern Lebanon.

The figures, published by the Pentagon, show that 247 of the injured are from the U.S. Army, 63 from the Navy, 19 from the Marine Corps and 36 from the Air Force.

The data also indicates that 200 of those wounded are mid- to senior-level enlisted personnel, while 85 are officers and 80 are junior enlisted troops.

It remains unclear whether the figures include personnel involved in two combat aircraft incidents reported on Friday, including the downing of a U.S. fighter jet during operations over Iran.The overall death toll stands at 13 U.S. service members, the military said.

Of these, six died when a refueling aircraft crashed over Iraq, while seven were killed in combat operations linked to the conflict.

Separately, 12 U.S. troops were wounded, including two seriously, in an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, according to earlier reports.

The casualty figures come as U.S. forces continue sustained operations against Iran, with the scale and intensity of the conflict raising concerns over its broader regional and strategic implications.

The strikes hit vehicles in Beirut’s southern outskirts and in an area just south of the capital, according to Lebanese authorities and state media.Targeted strikes in capital outskirtsLebanon’s state news agency NNA reported that one strike hit a vehicle in the Khaldeh area south of Beirut, killing two people and wounding three.

A second strike in the Jnah area targeted multiple vehicles, with the health ministry reporting at least five killed and 21 injured.

Israel’s military said it carried out two separate operations aimed at a senior Hezbollah commander and another high-ranking member of the Iran-aligned group, but did not identify the individuals or confirm whether they were killed.

The strikes come amid a widening Israeli offensive in Lebanon that has killed at least 1,200 people and displaced around 1.2 million, according to Lebanese authorities.

Lebanon became directly involved in the broader regional conflict after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in support of Iran, following earlier strikes by Israel and the United States on Iranian targets.

The exchange triggered intensified Israeli ground and air operations across Lebanese territory.There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on Wednesday’s strikes.

The missile hit a hair salon in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency WAFA reported. Thirteen people were wounded, including one in serious condition.

The Israeli military said its initial assessment indicated the strike was caused by a cluster munition, a type of warhead that disperses multiple smaller bomblets over a wide area, increasing the risk to civilians.

Iran has launched daily missile attacks toward Israel since the conflict escalated at the end of February, though there have been no prior reports of it deliberately targeting Palestinian areas in the West Bank.

Unlike most Israeli cities, where bomb shelters are widely available, Palestinians in the West Bank have limited access to protective infrastructure. Many rely on sirens from nearby Israeli settlements or cities for warning of incoming attacks.

The disparity in civil defence measures has heightened risks for civilians as missile exchanges intensify across the region.Rising toll amid regional warAt least 15 people have been killed in Israel since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering the current conflict.

The latest incident underscores the widening geographic and human impact of hostilities.The strike comes as streets across the West Bank have been crowded in recent days, with families preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.