Russia Reports an Increase in Casualties to 24 Following Ukrainian Shelling in Belgorod

Russian authorities have reported that an attack by Ukraine on the city of Belgorod near the Russian border resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people, including three children, and injured 108 others. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov attributed the deaths and injuries to “massive shelling” by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry condemned the attack, promising retaliation and accusing the Ukrainian government of attempting to distract from its losses on the front lines.

While attacks on Russian areas near the border have been ongoing for over a year, this incident is among the most deadly reported to date. CNN has not been able to independently verify the casualty figures.

This attack follows Russia’s extensive aerial assault on Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in a conflict that had been simmering for years before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

In response to the Belgorod incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed and directed health and emergency teams to assist the affected. Meanwhile, a series of Russian strikes across Ukraine left three dead and 28 injured in the Kharkiv region. Two men and a woman were reported dead in the village of Borova.

Following an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council called by Russia, council members expressed various reactions. Russia’s ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, labeled the Belgorod attack as terrorism, while Ukraine’s representative, Serhii Dvornyk, emphasized ending the war as the solution to human suffering. Western allies, including the United States, blamed Russia for the ongoing conflict.

The Security Council meeting occurred soon after a Russian missile strike in Kharkiv injured at least 26 people, per Ukrainian officials. Additionally, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of Belgorod reported a civilian death from shelling on Friday night, with four others injured. In Russia’s Bryansk region, Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz reported the death of a child due to Ukrainian shelling.

Ukraine has not officially commented on these incidents and typically does not claim responsibility for attacks on Russia.

In Kyiv, the aftermath of Russian strikes has led to a rising death toll, now confirmed at 45. The city’s mayor, Vitaliy Klitschko, noted that the December 29 attack on Kyiv had the highest civilian casualties since the invasion began. The strikes hit various civilian targets, including schools and a maternity hospital.

Poland’s military also reported a brief incursion into its airspace by an “unidentified airborne object” during the wave of strikes. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed vigilance over this incident on social media, while Russia has demanded concrete evidence before providing any explanation.