Russia directly blamed Ukraine for a “terrorist attack” in the city of Belgorod, in which at least 21 people were killed and more than 110 injured, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Glatkov.

It is a “terrorist attack by the Kiev regime on a city,” Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia argued during the UN Security Council meeting, which Moscow called for.

“In order to increase the number of victims of the terrorist attack, cluster munitions were used,” he claimed, adding that Kiev hit a sports center, an ice rink and a university. It was a deliberate, blind strike on a civilian target,” he underlined. “The members of the UN Security Council have an opportunity to do their duty and assess the destruction caused in a Russian city, Belgorod,” Nebenzia said.

There was an immediate reaction from Ukraine and its allies, who recalled that Russia started this war.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Serhiy Dvornik, said that “as long as this war, launched by the Kremlin dictator, continues, casualties and suffering will continue to increase.” “As Ukraine still recovers from yesterday’s horrific blows, new waves of Russian terrorism are unleashed. Just a few hours ago… Russia is terrorizing Kharkiv again with S-300 missiles hitting a residential area,” he pointed out.

US Representative John Kelly placed the blame squarely on Russian President Vladimir Putin. “This is his war, it’s his choice,” he said. “Russia could end this war today… We call for the protection of all civilians, regardless of side, in any conflict,” he added.

British envoy Thomas Phillips said London was deeply saddened by any civilian casualties, but also underlined that Moscow started this war by invading Ukraine two years ago. “There are hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. There is not a single Ukrainian soldier in Russia,” he said. “If Russia wants to blame someone for the deaths of Russians in this war, it should start with President Putin,” Phillips said. He also accused Moscow of targeting civilians in this war, saying: “Having failed to defeat Ukraine militarily, Russia has now turned to indiscriminate attacks on civilians.”

French envoy Nicolas de Riviere said Ukraine was merely exercising the right to self-defense, while Russia was “trampling” the UN Charter.

“As long as this war continues, we will see more civilians – Ukrainians and Russians – killed,” UN assistant secretary-general Khaled Hiary said, warning of a “real risk of escalation and spread” of the conflict.