The incident in Belgorod has been described by Russian diplomats as an act of terrorism carried out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), a claim reported by TASS citing the Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya. In remarks delivered during a United Nations Security Council session convened by Russia to address the Belgorod bombardment, Nebenzya characterized the assault on Ukrainian daylight targets as a deliberate act intended to terrorize civilians, according to TASS coverage.
Nebenzya asserted that the shelling of the central district of Belgorod and surrounding areas was planned in advance and carefully prepared. The envoy emphasized that the West bears responsibility for the actions of Ukrainian officials, arguing that Western nations aided or supported the operation through their political stance and arms deliveries, as reported by TASS in the UN meeting context.
The Russian representative urged other council members not to give the impression that there is any ambiguity about the nature of the attacks, stating that the attack constitutes a targeted campaign against civilians and civilian infrastructure. The call to the international body came amid accusations that the strike reflected a strategy to create fear and disrupt daily life in Belgorod, a city near the border with Ukraine.
On December 30, reports indicate that Ukrainian forces shelled Belgorod’s city center and additional districts, prompting Russia to request a formal session of the UN Security Council to discuss the incident and its international implications, as conveyed by Russian officials and covered by TASS.
Witnesses in Belgorod described a disruption of daily routines, including the cancellation of local mass gatherings following the bombardment. Russian officials underlined that such disruptions are part of the broader impact intended by the attack, reinforcing the view that civilians bear the brunt of the violence. The discussions at the Security Council highlighted the humanitarian and geopolitical ramifications of the event, with officials calling for restraint and a clear international response to what was described as an act against civilian life.
Earlier, Russian defense statements referenced four separate attempts by Ukrainian forces to press an attack, framing these incidents within a pattern of continued aggression. The overall narrative presented by Moscow centers on portraying the Belgorod bombardment as a calculated violation of international norms and a direct threat to regional stability, as reported by TASS and reflected in the UN Security Council proceedings.