MOSCOW (May 13, 2024) – A devastating missile strike struck a residential area in Belgorod, claiming at least seven lives and injuring 17 others, Russian officials confirmed today. The attack, deemed one of the deadliest in the region, unfolded as Ukraine launched what Russian authorities described as a massive assault with Tochka ballistic missiles and multiple launch rocket systems.
Footage from the scene captured the horrifying moment when a section of the apartment building crumbled, leaving ten stories in ruins. As emergency responders rushed to the site, a secondary collapse sent residents fleeing in a cloud of dust and debris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin received a briefing on the “barbaric” attack, according to Dmitry Peskov, his spokesman. The assault, labeled a “terrorist attack” by the Russian defense ministry, targeted civilians in residential areas.
“The criminality of Ukraine and its backers, primarily the United States and its European allies, is evident in this targeted attack on innocent civilians,” remarked Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
The toll of the strike included seven fatalities and 17 injuries, including two children, with more individuals feared trapped under the rubble.
In a simultaneous development, Russian forces made significant advances in the Kharkiv region, pushing Ukrainian troops out of several villages. Troops claimed control over Hatyshche, Krasne, Morokhovets, and Oliinykove, bolstering Russia’s position along the front.
Military analysts noted Russia’s strategy of leveraging numerical superiority to overrun lightly defended areas with swift, mobile units. Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged the challenging situation in Kharkiv but affirmed efforts to staunchly defend against Russian incursions.
“Units of the Defense Forces are engaged in fierce defensive battles, halting the advances of Russian invaders,” Syrskyi asserted.
As tensions escalate and casualties mount, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine shows no signs of abating, casting a dark shadow over the region’s stability and security.