Russia’s Belgorod comes under rocket fire, deaths and injuries reported

Update: According to the latest data from the Russian Health Ministry, seven people were killed and 18 were injured. Among the dead is a one-year-old girl, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Russia’s Belgorod came under rocket fire on Thursday. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that five people were killed, including a child. Another 18 are reportedly injured, including five children.

Local Telegram channels wrote that a projectile hit a shopping center on Plekhanova Street, inflicting serious damage.

According to the Telegram channels Mash and Shot, nine people were killed in the attack. This information has not been confirmed by officials. Belgorod Telegram channel Pepel reported that three of the victims are in critical condition.

Pepel wrote that one of the rockets hit a stadium. Local news site Bel.ru said that a woman and a child in a stroller were killed there.

Gladkov said that an air alert siren has been activated in Belgorod and the Belgorod region. Soon after, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that Ukraine attempted to strike Russian territory using the RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket launcher system. According to the ministry, air defense systems destroyed 14 rockets over the Belgorod region. The statement did not mention anything about the attack’s consequences or casualties.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the incident as “another act of terror by the Kyiv regime.” She said that Russia will raise the issue for consideration by “relevant international organizations,” including the U.N. Security Council.