Shelling of Belgorod. 21 people died and 111 were injured. "This crime will not go unpunished"

"Moscow issues threats to Kyiv, declaring, 'This crime will not go unpunished', following Saturday's Ukrainian drone attack on Russian cities. The shelling of the border town of Belgorod resulted in 21 people killed and over a hundred injured, including children, according to local authorities. The Russian side accused Ukraine of using cluster munitions during the attack.

On Saturday, Kyiv conducted drone attacks on various military targets in several regions of Russia. Data from the Security Service of Ukraine indicate that about 70 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were used in the operation. This was in response to the massive shelling of Ukrainian cities carried out by Russia the day before, resulting in approximately 40 Ukrainian civilian casualties.

Belgorod Shelling: Russians report numerous victims

One of the targets of the Ukrainian drones was the city of Belgorod, located 40 km from the border. Initial losses were reported on Saturday morning, with local authorities providing further details throughout the day. The AFP agency reported 21 people killed and 111 injured.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, told the BBC that three children were among the deceased.

“Crime will not go unpunished”

Moscow accuses Kyiv of targeting civilians in attacks on the city center. The Russian Ministry of Defense accused Ukraine of massive missile fire and declared, "This crime will not go unpunished."

Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, was quoted by Russian TASS as saying that Ukraine is shelling Russian cities to "please the West." In his opinion, the recent shelling of Belgorod used the Czech MRLS system, firing two rockets with cluster munitions.

"All organizers and perpetrators of this and other crimes of the Kyiv junta will be inevitably punished. We call on all responsible governments and relevant international organizations to condemn this terrorist attack, which used cluster munitions—banned in most Western countries—and to publicly distance themselves from the regime in Kyiv and its Western guardians who commit such crimes", he said.

Ukrainian sources: we hit military targets

The Ukrainian security service confirmed the attacks on military targets. An employee stated in an interview with the "Ukrainska Pravda" website that the number of victims resulted from “unprofessional actions of Russian air defense, as well as deliberate and planned provocations”.

"Belgorod Oblast, bordering Ukraine, like other Russian border zones, has been the target of shelling and drone attacks throughout the year, for which the Russian authorities blame the Ukrainian Armed Forces"
Reuters recalled.

Cluster weapons: Ukraine and Russia have not signed the convention

In May 2008, 111 countries supported a ban on the use, production, and stockpiling of cluster bombs. Another 17 countries have since signed the convention, but Russia and Ukraine are not among them.

Opponents of this weapon emphasize that its range does not allow sufficient control of its destructive power, posing a deadly threat to civilians. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, 10 to 40 percent of this type of ammunition fails, meaning unexploded ordnance can be detonated by civilians years or decades later.

Human Rights Watch reported in July that civilians were victims of both Russia and Ukraine's use of cluster munitions.