On Sunday in Belgorod, Russia, at least 15 people were killed and many injured after a section of an apartment block collapsed.
The building was reportedly struck by fragments of a Soviet-era missile launched by Ukraine but intercepted by Russia, according to Russian officials.
Details of the Attack
The Belgorod region faced what Russian officials described as a massive missile attack involving Tochka ballistic missiles and Adler and RM-70 Vampire multiple launch rocket systems.
Russia's Emergency Ministry reported early Monday that the collapse of the building resulted in 15 fatalities. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the region, reported that four more individuals lost their lives in separate attacks by Kyiv on the same day.
In total, 27 people were reported injured from various incidents on Sunday, as stated on Telegram.
The Russian Defense Ministry identified at least 12 missiles involved in the strikes on Belgorod, labeling the incident as a "terrorist attack on residential areas."
According to the ministry, "Fragments of one of the downed Tochka-U missiles damaged an apartment building in the city of Belgorod."
Footage from the scene showed damage to the building, with at least ten stories collapsing. During search and rescue operations, further collapses occurred, causing emergency personnel and bystanders to flee the scene amidst falling debris.
The Kremlin reported that President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the attack, denouncing it as "barbaric."
The Russian Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, condemning the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure as criminal.
Kyiv maintains that its military operations target Russia's military, transport, and energy infrastructure to counteract Moscow's ongoing military efforts and respond to Russia's attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets.
Expanding Conflict
Simultaneously, the conflict near Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region is intensifying.
Russian forces have recently claimed territory, capturing at least nine villages and threatening to open a new front in the war. This development comes as Ukrainian forces face pressure at critical points along the southern and eastern fronts.
Russian military bloggers suggest that Russia is exploiting its numerical superiority to advance into relatively undefended areas with small, highly mobile units, subsequently encircling Ukrainian positions.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Ukraine's military chief assured that Ukrainian forces are committed to holding their ground.
