NAfter several people died in alleged Ukrainian attacks on the region around the Russian city of Belgorad, some Russian cities have canceled their New Year's Eve celebrations. The mayors of Vladivostok, Magadan and Blagoveshchensk in the Russian Far East, among others, issued corresponding orders on Sunday. Because of its eastern location, the New Year takes place several hours before the European part of Russia or Western Europe. “We mourn with the whole country,” Vladivostok Mayor Konstantin Shestakov wrote on Telegram.
Meanwhile, in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border, the death toll from a Ukrainian attack has risen to 24, according to official figures. The region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported two more deaths on Sunday. More than 100 people were injured by shelling on Friday and Saturday, he wrote on the social network Telegram. On Sunday morning, the rocket alarm was triggered again in the city with around 350,000 inhabitants. “All residents should go to shelters,” wrote Gladkow. The alarm was lifted after a short time, as reported by the Tass agency.
In the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine since February 2022, the deaths in Belgorod are the worst loss among the Russian civilian population to date. According to Russian military information, Ukraine is said to have shelled the city with combat drones and rocket artillery.
No official reaction from Kyiv
In Moscow, the Defense Ministry said two precision-guided Ukrainian missiles were riddled with cluster munitions. The military said these rockets were shot down by anti-aircraft defense, but their debris containing cluster munitions fell into the city center of Belgorod. This information could not immediately be independently verified. Cluster munitions are smaller explosive devices that are released from a larger projectile and are primarily intended to hit vehicles and people.
There was no official statement from Kiev as of Sunday morning. The news portal “Ukrainskaya Pravda” only wrote, citing an anonymous Ukrainian intelligence source, that the Ukrainian army had targeted Russian military objects. Civilians were harmed due to “unprofessional actions by the Russian air defense as well as deliberate and planned provocations.”
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