The meeting was requested by Russia following an attack that left at least 18 dead and 111 injured in Belgorod today, an attack that became one of the deadliest for Russian civilians since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
It is “a blind and deliberate attack on a civilian target,” said Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassili Nebenzia, accusing Ukraine of targeting a sports center, an ice rink and a university.
“The members of the Security Council have the opportunity to fulfill their duty and objectively assess what is happening,” the ambassador added, calling for a “deliberate act of terrorism” on the Ukrainian side and accusing Kiev of using “cluster munitions” . known as cluster bombs, banned by international law.
The attack on Belgorod came a day after heavy bombing in Ukraine that killed 39 people, authorities said.
Russia’s Emergency Situations Minister said 18 people were killed in Bolgorod and another 111 were injured.
The images available online show burning vehicles, houses with broken windows and clouds of black smoke on the horizon.
The military offensive that Russia launched in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 caused the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II (1939-1945), according to the most recent UN data.
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by most of the international community, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and impose political and economic sanctions on Russia.
Source: DN
