Ukraine Not Involved in Belgorod Building Explosion - Statement by the National Security and Defence Council
Ukraine denies involvement in the explosion at a residential building that occurred in Russian Belgorod on May 12. However, Russia may use this incident to further its own agenda. This was stated by Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
"The building in Belgorod appears to have been blown up. Video footage from surveillance cameras does not show any falling objects. Therefore, all accusations by Russians of shelling by Ukrainian Defence Forces currently do not correspond to reality," Kovalenko emphasized.
According to him, it is entirely possible that this event is a provocation by Russia or an information special operation to escalate the situation and justify further strikes on residential buildings in Ukrainian cities.
"It could also be a domestic explosion, which Russian propaganda is twisting to fit their own interests in shelling a building," stated the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the NSDC.
In the video footage capturing the moment of the explosion, there is no evidence of any rockets or projectiles hitting the building from the Ukrainian side. It seems more likely that the explosion occurred inside the building, leading to its partial collapse. The video also shows that most of the windows in the building remained intact, which is atypical for an explosion caused by a rocket or projectile impact.
On May 12, at around 11:30 local time, an explosion occurred in Belgorod, Russia, causing the destruction of an entire section of a residential building. Russian officials reported 15 civilian casualties as a result of this incident.
The Russian Ministry of Defence immediately blamed the Ukrainian Armed Forces for this attack. Specifically, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that debris from one of the downed "Tochka-U" missiles, launched from Ukrainian territory, fell on the building. However, no evidence to support this claim has been provided by the Russians.
It is worth noting that there have been previous instances where Russian bombs and missiles have fallen on populated areas in the Belgorod region. Several reports have indicated that Russian military aircraft have lost guided bombs.
Unlike Russian aggressors, the Ukrainian Defence Forces adhere to laws and customs of war and do not target civilian objects. Only an independent investigation can determine the circumstances of the Belgorod incident.
Previously, Russia baselessly accused Ukraine of involvement in a terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, despite no evidence linking Ukraine to the event. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Islamic State.