Image source: Wikimedia
Delhi, Jan 02: President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Russian forces would escalate their attacks on military targets in Ukraine, responding to an unprecedented Ukrainian assault on the Russian city of Belgorod over the weekend, resulting in the tragic loss of 25 lives, including five children.
Moscow had initiated a large-scale attack on Ukrainian cities, and Ukraine reported a “record” number of drone strikes by Russia on New Year’s Day. While visiting a military hospital, Putin emphasized the intensified strikes, vowing that no crime against civilians would go unpunished.
The remarks followed a deadly week in Ukraine, marked by significant offensives from both sides. Putin referred to the attack in Belgorod as a terrorist act and accused Ukrainian forces of purposefully targeting civilians in the city center. The death toll from the assault in Belgorod reached 25, with 109 people wounded, as reported by Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Putin asserted that Russia held the “strategic initiative” in the ongoing conflict, citing the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer. He expressed Moscow’s desire to conclude the conflict swiftly but emphasized it would be on Russia’s terms, according to the state-run TASS news.
