Seven dead in “Ukrainian rocket attack” on Russian apartment block

At least seven people were killed when part of a Russian apartment block collapsed after being hit by a Soviet-era missile fired from Ukraine, Russian officials said.

Seventeen people were also reportedly injured in the incident, which marks one of the deadliest attacks to date in the Belgorod region.

Ukraine launched a massive missile attack using Tochka ballistic missiles and the Adler and RM-70 Vampire multiple rocket systems (MLRS), according to Russian officials.

Footage from the scene showed at least ten floors of the building collapsing.

Later, as rescuers searched the rubble for survivors, the roof collapsed and people ran for their lives, dust and debris falling behind them.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack, which it described as a “terrorist attack on residential areas”, occurred at 8:40 a.m. GMT and involved at least 12 rockets.

“Fragments of one of the launched Tochka-U missiles damaged a residential building in the city of Belgorod,” the ministry said.

According to Russian news agencies, at least seven people were killed and 17 injured on Sunday, including two children. Others were still trapped under the rubble.

Photos showed rescue workers and residents searching the ruins on Sunday.

Both Ukraine and Russia say they do not target civilians, even though both sides have killed many civilians in the war.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the attack was a targeted attack on civilians, showing the criminality of both Ukraine and its supporters – primarily the United States and its European allies.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about the “barbaric” rocket attack by the acting emergency minister and governor of the Belgorod region, the TASS news agency quoted Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, as saying on Sunday.