Russia Claims Ukraine's Attack on Belgorod Left 5 Dead and 46 Injured

The governor of Belgorod, Russia, claimed on Saturday, September 1, that 5 civilians were killed and 46 others injured following Ukraine's attack on the region on Friday night, September 1. According to Reuters, Vyacheslav Gladkov stated that 37 of the injured, including a seven-year-old child, were taken to a hospital in the city located 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. A video published on social media, recorded from inside a vehicle, shows another vehicle exploding while in motion. Moments later, another explosion occurs a few meters away from this vehicle. Reuters noted that it could not verify the authenticity of these videos. The Russian Foreign Ministry, which has consistently justified or denied the killing of Ukrainian civilians over the past two and a half years, condemned Ukraine's attack on its territory in a statement. The Russian diplomatic service called on all 'responsible' governments to condemn this attack and distance themselves from the Ukrainian government and its Western defenders. The ministry emphasized that Russia's invasion of Ukraine would continue until all military objectives are achieved. Russian officials also claimed that a woman in the city of Shebekino in the Belgorod region was injured due to Ukrainian artillery fire. Ukraine has carried out multiple attacks on eastern Russian regions, particularly Belgorod, in recent months. Russian forces began their invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and occupied parts of the country. Despite abundant evidence, Russia claims it does not deliberately target Ukrainian civilians. Meanwhile, Ukraine, which is striving to liberate occupied territories, denies the Russian government's accusations of deliberately attacking Russian civilians. The dismissal of the Ukrainian Air Force commander followed the crash of one of the country's F-16s. A Russian attack on a factory in Ukraine left two dead. A Russian journalist was sentenced to eight years in prison for criticizing Russia's war against Ukraine. Ukraine reported the crash of one of the Western-donated F-16 fighter jets during the repulsion of a Russian attack. A senior U.S. intelligence official stated that Russia faces a 'difficult battle' to reclaim its occupied territories.