Ukraine's defense intelligence agency has reported the death of a Russian Investigative Committee officer following a rocket and missile attack on the Russian border city of Belgorod, marking an escalation in the nearly two-year-long war.
The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine confirmed that Mikhail Konopitsyn, a 27-year-old Russian first lieutenant, was killed in Saturday's attack on Russian military facilities in Belgorod. Konopitsyn had been assigned to Belgorod's military investigative department since November and previously served as an anti-tank-missile platoon commander in the Ukraine war. He was a casualty in a series of events that included explosions and the falling of weapon wreckage in the city center, the result of Russian air defense actions and alleged provocations by Russian forces, Ukrainian media said.
Following the attack on Belgorod, which killed at least 21 people and wounded 110, according to the Associated Press, Russia launched retaliatory attacks against Ukrainian military targets. The Russian Defense Ministry said key decision-making centers and military installations in Kyiv and Kharkiv were hit by drone and missile strikes.
The Ukrainian and Russian attacks represent the latest in a series of escalations in the conflict between the two nations, which began with Russia's February 2022 invasion.
Newsweek has reached out to the Ukraine Defense Ministry's Main Directorate of Intelligence via email for comment.
In Kharkiv, the consequences of the Russian counterstrike were immediate and severe. Ukraine's National Police said the first wave of attacks resulted in at least six missiles striking the city, injuring 22 people and causing substantial damage to residential buildings, houses and a kindergarten. The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting numerous drones aimed at strategic locations.
The attacks extended beyond military objectives, with civilian infrastructure such as residential buildings and cafés in Kharkiv's center sustaining damage. Speaking about the resilience of the Ukrainians' defense efforts, Mayor Ihor Terekhov declared the city "unbreakable and invincible" in the face of Russian aggression.
Russia, for its part, accused Ukraine of carrying out a "terrorist attack" on Belgorod, alleging the use of "controversial cluster munitions" that resulted in civilian casualties, according to Al Jazeera. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of the Belgorod region, urged residents to seek shelter following the attack.
The escalation was acknowledged by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his New Year's Eve address, when he spoke about Russia's resolve and commended the courage of its military personnel in the war.
The international response to the war's latest developments has been one of concern, particularly in the context of escalating tensions and the potential for broader regional instability. President Joe Biden said on Friday that Putin's goals "remain unchanged" as the conflict nears its two-year anniversary.
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Aj Fabino is a Newsweek reporter based in Chicago. His focus is reporting on Economy & Finance. Aj joined Newsweek ... Read more
