On Sunday, Russia reported that a Ukrainian attack on the city of Belgorod resulted in the death of 20 individuals, including two children, and left 111 others injured. The incident occurred near the border with Ukraine, and according to a Reuters report, it follows Russia's launch of 122 missiles and 36 drones against Ukrainian targets, deemed the most extensive aerial barrage in the nearly two-year-old war.
The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, confirmed that the attack targeted a residential area, prompting air raid sirens and leading citizens to seek shelter. The Russian Emergencies Ministry provided details on casualties and damage, while the Defence Ministry asserted that the attack "would not go unpunished."
Belgorod, strategically located about 30 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and 600 kilometers from Moscow, has played a crucial role in Russian military operations against Ukraine. In response to the assault, Russia's anti-aircraft units claimed to have destroyed 13 Ukrainian rockets over Belgorod and downed 32 Ukrainian drones nationwide.
The Kremlin, as quoted by the Russian state-run news agency RIA, stated that President Vladimir Putin dispatched a team of health and emergency workers to Belgorod. Simultaneously, the United Nations Security Council convened at Russia's request on Saturday (local time) to discuss the strike. Russia's ambassador to the UN labeled it a "terrorist act" by Ukraine, while Kyiv and its allies emphasized that Moscow initiated the war.
