According to the Russian media "Russia Today", on December 30, local time, the southwestern Russian city of Belgorod was attacked by Ukrainian rockets, which has killed at least 21 people and injured 111 people. The UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting at Russia's request on the same day, and Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Nebenzya, called it a "terrorist attack against civilians" and accused Western countries of being equally responsible for the attack.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Ukrainian armed forces used "Alder" rocket launchers and Czech-made "Vampire" rockets to launch rockets equipped with cluster munitions on the 30th, and Russian air defense forces intercepted most of the rockets, but several rockets still hit the city. The statement said that if all the rockets loaded with cluster munitions hit the target, the consequences would be "more serious."
A day earlier, on December 29, Ukraine said Russia had launched the "largest air strike" since February last year, firing 122 missiles and mobilizing 36 drones into Ukraine, killing at least 24 people and injuring 130.
Belgorod is located in the southwestern part of Russia Screenshot of the map.
On December 30, local time, Russian soldiers patrolled the streets of Belgorod Source: Surging Images.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia's Belgorod region, said in the early morning of the 31st that at least 21 people had been killed and 111 injured in the attack, which was one of the "deadliest attacks" on Russian cities since the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He has informed Russian Putin and Prime Minister Mishustin about the specifics of the attack.
Gladkov said the attack also resulted in the destruction of a large number of commercial facilities in Belgorod, damage to some gas and water systems, and the destruction of hundreds of vehicles. The material damage caused by the attack is being assessed locally, and the Belgorod region has decided to cancel all public gatherings and celebrations in the areas bordering Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukraine of trying to divert public attention from its failures on the front line and inducing the Russian side to launch retaliatory attacks of a similar nature. The Russian side stressed that the Russian Armed Forces will strike only at Ukrainian military facilities and infrastructure directly related to them, "and we will continue to do this, and this crime will not go unpunished." ”
On December 30, local time, Belgorod, Russia, was attacked by Ukrainian rockets Source: Surging Images.
A source in the Ukrainian security services confirmed to the BBC that the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched an attack on Belgorod on the 30th. But the source insisted that the Ukrainian army attacks were "strictly aimed at military infrastructure" and blamed civilians for "the incompetence of Russian air defenses."
The source also claimed that Ukraine had fired more than 70 drones at targets across Russia, which he called "retaliation for Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilians."
At the request of Russia, the United Nations Security Council has held an emergency meeting on the 30th local time to discuss the attack on Belgorod. Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Nebenzya, considered the attack an "act of premeditated terrorism against civilians" in Ukraine, and that Western countries that supported Ukraine were equally responsible for the attack.
The West is complicit in Kyiv, and we know that British and American advisers were directly involved in the organization of this 'terrorist attack'. At the meeting, Nebenzia warned that all organizers and perpetrators of the attacks would be "punished."
But the United States and other Western countries insist that Russia is responsible for the conflict. John Kelly, Minister Counsellor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said the U.S. would support Ukraine's "right to self-defense" as long as Russia insists on military action. He urged Russia to immediately end the conflict and protect the safety of civilians on all sides.
Regarding the attack, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said that yesterday, the Security Council held an emergency meeting at the request of Albania and other countries to consider the issue of civilians caused by the conflict in Ukraine. Today, at the request of Russia, the Security Council is once again holding an urgent meeting to consider the issue of civilians as a result of the crisis in Ukraine. We are saddened by the fact that towards the end of the year, the Council has considered vicious attacks and civilians** so intensively. Deeply concerned about the lingering crisis in Ukraine and the untold harm caused by the ongoing fighting in the run-up to the New Year.
Geng Shuang said that there are no winners in conflicts and wars, and they will only bring deep suffering to innocent people, cause great harm to regional peace and stability, and only create more difficulties for world economic development, especially for developing countries to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We once again call on the relevant parties to respond positively to the international community's call for peace, strengthen contacts, build consensus, and cease the fighting at an early date.
Geng Shuang said that we also once again call on all stakeholders to enhance their sense of urgency, increase diplomatic mediation, and work together to create good conditions for an early political settlement of the crisis. China will continue to stand on the side of peace and dialogue, work to promote peace talks, and play a constructive role in the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
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