Belgorod: Massive explosions hit Russian city, 3 killed, dozen sustain injuries

Amid the intensifying war between Russia and Ukraine, massive explosions hit Russia's Belgorod, a city located 40 km from the Ukraine border. As many as three people have been killed and more than ten apartment buildings, along with over 30 houses, have been damaged by blasts in the Russian city. "About 11 apartment buildings were damaged and 39 private residential houses, including five, were fully destroyed," said the Governor of the Belgorod region on Telegram. The governor added that among the dozen who sustained injuries in the blasts was a 10-year-old boy.

Earlier, Russia accused Kyiv of several attacks on Belgorod and other regions bordering Ukraine since the onset of the war. However, as of now, there has been no confirmation from the Ukrainian side as Kyiv has already refused to comment on the issue. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Russia has accused Ukrainian troops of allegedly killing civilians in Sloviansk.

Moscow accuses Ukrainian troops of killing civilians in Sloviansk

Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who is the chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, on Saturday, said that civilians in the Sloviansk region of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) are being killed by Ukrainian troops. In Sloviansk, Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), in order to pin the blame for the extermination of the civilian population in Ukraine on Russia, the Ukrainian Armed Forces carried out artillery shelling of residential areas from the Sloviansk feed mill plant (on Literaturnaya Street) on June 30, 2022. "A woman was killed and about 10 people were injured," he said, as quoted by Russian state-run news agency TASS. 

On the other hand, Ukraine's armed forces, in their latest operational update, have claimed that the Russian occupiers are launching systematic rocket attacks in the Mykolaiv direction. According to the statement by the Ukrainian MoD, Russian soldiers are focusing on securing positions in the Lysychansk region.

Russia-Ukraine war

Ever since Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin ordered war against neighbouring Ukraine, hostilities between both nations have resulted in the deaths of thousands on both sides. As per Ukraine's latest update, till now Russia has lost 35,970 troops. In addition to this, 217 Russian sites, 1584 tanks, 187 helicopters, over 3700 APV, 15 boats, and 801 artillery systems have been damaged by Ukrainian forces. 

Image: AP/ Representative