Missile attack in Belgorod: Ukraine accused as tensions flare

Early Sunday morning, sirens wailed in Belgorod and the Belgorod region in Russia. The area was hit by a hail of missiles, with damage primarily reported in Belgorod. One person was injured.

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Many reports provided by Russian media or government representatives are part of propaganda efforts. These announcements are part of the informational war conducted by the Russian Federation.

Early in the morning, sirens sounded in Belgorod and the surrounding region in Russia. "If you are at home, avoid approaching the windows. Seek shelter in rooms with solid walls. If you are outside, hurry to a shelter," wrote Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the region.

The Russian Ministry of Defence states that the attack was launched by Ukraine, from where it was alleged that multiple rockets from the RM-70 Vampire system were fired. "The on-duty air defence systems intercepted ten rockets in mid-air," read the statement.

Photos from the aftermath showed a private house destroyed, with fragments of missiles scattered on roads and footpaths.

In some images, craters from the explosions are visible. Windows in several buildings were shattered.

The governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported before 8 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time that one person was slightly injured.

"In the city of Belgorod, windows in one apartment building were shattered, 18 private houses sustained damage, including two that caught fire. Fragments hit three cars. Power lines and cold water supply lines were also affected. Emergency services were dispatched to address the damages," we read in the statement.

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Minor damages were also noted across the region, specifically regarding shattered windows, damaged vehicles, and disrupted power lines.

Since March 12, conflicts have erupted in the Russian regions bordering Ukraine, involving forces loyal to Putin's regime and Russian volunteer formations allied with the authorities in Kyiv, namely the Russian Volunteer Corps, the Freedom of Russia Legion, and the Siberian Battalion.

In response to the shelling, the authorities in the Belgorod region have decided to evacuate approximately 9,000 children from the danger zones. Residents have voiced concerns that local authorities are underreporting the attacks on the city. "They inform us that something exploded 29 kilometres away, when it actually happened just 170 metres from us," they shared with the Mozhem Objasnit portal.

In 2023, the Belgorod region also came under Ukrainian fire, retaliating against Russian assaults on civilian areas in Ukraine. On December 30 of the preceding year, more than 20 residents of Belgorod perished in aerial attacks, with over 100 injured.