The lack of a US reaction to the latest deadly shelling of the Russian city of Belgorod shows a willingness to whitewash Ukraine’s crimes against civilians, the Russian ambassador to Washington has said.
On Sunday, Kiev’s forces launched a cross-border bombardment of Belgorod with Tochka-U ballistic missiles and multiple rocket launchers. The attack resulted in the partial collapse of a multi-story residential building, killing 15 civilians and injuring at least 25.
“The reaction of American officials to the deadly strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on residential areas, or rather the absence of even a hint of condolences, is very telling,” Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Sunday.
“It emphasizes Washington’s readiness to do everything to absolve the Kiev puppets of responsibility for their atrocities,” he added, while accusing the “independent” international media of ignoring the fact that the city was struck at least ten times in a single day.
“Children, women, and old people are being killed with Western weapons. Some promises by Kiev not to use weapons it received from America on targets in our country are not worth a penny,” he claimed, blasting the “ostrich” policy adopted by the West and the reluctance to restrain Ukraine.
“Covering up terrorists is monstrous and inhumane,” Antonov stressed. He insisted that the only way to prevent further attacks on civilian infrastructure is to ramp up military operations to push Ukrainian forces away from the Russian border.
In recent months, Belgorod has become the main target of Kiev’s attacks, with continued shelling and attempts to break through to Russian territory. A bombardment on New Year’s Eve killed 25 people – all civilians – when a rocket hit a festive fair.
On Friday, Russian troops launched an operation in the north of Ukraine’s Kharkov Region, which borders Belgorod Region and serves as the main main platform for cross-border shelling.