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A mixed rocket and missile assault on Belgorod, a metropolis in Russia close to the Ukrainian border, has killed at the very least 21 individuals and injured greater than 100, Russian authorities mentioned Saturday, blaming the assault on Ukraine’s navy and vowing to retaliate for the deaths.
“This crime won’t go unpunished,” Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned in an announcement, calling the strikes “indiscriminate.”
The assault, if confirmed, can be one of many deadliest inside Russia because it invaded Ukraine almost two years in the past. It got here as Ukraine was nonetheless reeling from the large drone and missile barrage Russia unleashed on civilian targets and infrastructure Friday.
In that bombardment, one of many largest of the battle, 39 individuals had been killed and 159 injured, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned Saturday. He mentioned the strikes hit 120 cities and villages, and urged Ukraine’s allies to keep up the move of weapons to Kyiv, which has struggled in current months to claw again territory seized by Russia.
“We can not delay serving to those that oppose terror,” he mentioned. “We should all defeat terror collectively.”
Russia shatters Ukraine vacation season with large missile barrage
Ukrainian officers haven’t commented publicly on Saturday’s assault and barely, if ever, declare accountability for strikes inside Russia. However in an tackle late Friday, Zelensky mentioned Ukraine would “reply to Russian terrorists for each strike.”
“We are going to proceed to strengthen our air protection,” he mentioned. “And work towards pushing the conflict again to … the place it got here from — dwelling to Russia.”
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned Saturday that Czech-made Vampire rockets and Olkha missiles armed with cluster munitions had been fired at Belgorod, about 18 miles from the Ukrainian border. Antiaircraft models intercepted 13 of the rockets and missiles, the ministry mentioned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the assault. The Overseas Ministry additionally mentioned it requested a U.N. Safety Council assembly to handle the strikes.
Three youngsters had been amongst these killed in Belgorod on Saturday, whereas 5 youngsters stay in important situation, in keeping with Russian Kids’s Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova. On Telegram, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov mentioned there have been casualties after a residential space was hit.
In a night video tackle, Gladkov mentioned that all public occasions within the area can be canceled forward of the New Yr’s vacation.
“At present, probably the most critical penalties of the final two years befell because of the Ukrainian military’s assault,” Gladkov mentioned within the tackle. “To all of the households of the victims, I perceive that there aren’t any phrases that might console this grief… the enemy won’t be able to flee retribution.”
Movies circulating on-line after the assault confirmed thick, black smoke billowing from blown-out vehicles within the metropolis heart. Our bodies had been proven strewn on the bottom, and within the footage panicked individuals ran from the scene.
Belgorod and the encompassing areas that border Ukraine have come beneath near-constant shelling and frequent drone assaults over the previous 12 months, however civilian casualties are uncommon.
“A tragedy occurred at the moment in Belgorod. On account of the assault by Ukrainian terrorists, peaceable civilians and kids had been killed, there have been many victims … what occurred is solely monstrous,” Alexander Bogomaz, governor of the close by Bryansk area, which additionally borders Ukraine, wrote in a Telegram put up.
Later Saturday, an obvious missile strike hit the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv, about 44 miles south of Belgorod, injuring at the very least 19 individuals at a resort and in a residential constructing within the metropolis heart, the native governor mentioned.
Ebel reported from London.