Putin: Ukraine launches attack on Russian city of Belgorod | World | News

Ukraine launched a massive airstrike on the Russian city of Belgorod overnight, killing five people and injuring at least 47.

A video captures the dramatic moment when Belgorod was attacked by Ukrainian missiles fired from Vampire multiple rocket launchers.

A series of explosions in rapid succession can be seen in the city, and vehicles on a highway were also hit.

In one clip, a car on a major highway appears to be hit by a missile and explodes in a ball of flames.

The attack came hours after a block of flats in Kharkiv was hit by a Russian glide bomb, killing seven people and injuring at least 97.

Among the dead were a 14-year-old girl and an aspiring 18-year-old artist – Veronika “Nika” Kozhushko.

Serhiy Zhadan, a famous Ukrainian writer, poet, musician and soldier, called her “young, sincere and talented”.

He added: “The Russians continue to destroy our future. There is no explanation for this. And there is no forgiveness.”

It is unclear whether Ukraine launched its attack in revenge for the Kharkiv bombing, but the Kiev army has been trying to enter the Belgorod region in recent days.

Russian sources accused Ukraine of deliberately attacking civilians with cluster munitions.

The region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said: “As a result of the shelling of the city of Belgorod from Ukraine, five civilians were killed and 46 civilians were injured.

“There are currently 37 people in hospitals, including seven children, one child is in serious condition.”

This comes as Ukraine continues its military incursion into the neighboring Kursk region.

On Friday, Kyiv's military chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said his troops had advanced another 1.9 kilometers and gained three square kilometers in the last 24 hours.

The commander also claimed that the army had taken more Russian prisoners.

Meanwhile, the Russian army continues to march on the important city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.