Ukrainian forces launched a premeditated attack on Russian territory, the MoD stated on Sunday. The air defenses managed to intercept the cluster munitions launched by Ukraine over Belgorod, however, their debris fell on a residential building.
"Last night, from 03:00 to 03:30 a.m. Moscow time, the Kiev regime carried out deliberate strikes using Tochka-U ballistic missiles with cluster munitions and Tu-143 Reis drones against residential areas of Belgorod and Kursk, where there are no military facilities. The missile attack was purposefully planned and carried out against the civilian population of Russian cities," the official statement said.
At the same time, two Ukrainian drones laden with explosives were downed before they reached Kursk, the ministry added.
Ukraine's strikes come as Russian and Donbass forces advance amid the special operation, pressing Kiev's troops back. Recently, the city of Lisichansk was liberated, meaning that the Lugansk People's Republic is almost completely freed from the Ukrainian military.
A screenshot from a social media video showing a house on fire allegedly in Belgorod, Russia, on July 3, 2022.
© Photo : Screenshot
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on 24 February after Kiev carried out intense shelling in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, which caused mass civilian evacuations. In response, Moscow targeted Ukrainian military infrastructure and started liberating Donbass cities from Ukrainian troops. President Vladimir Putin stressed that the operation aims to "protect people subjected to genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years".