NewsBelgorod tragedy: Missile strike or mishap? 15 dead, 20 injured

Belgorod tragedy: Missile strike or mishap? 15 dead, 20 injured

Explosion and collapse of a 10-story building in Belgorod, Russia

Images source: © TG

7:12 AM EDT, May 13, 2024

Overnight from Sunday to Monday, the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Russia announced the discovery of the 15th victim in the aftermath of a building collapse in Belgorod. The tragedy occurred on Sunday afternoon, leaving the cause of the high-rise collapse a mystery. The Kremlin has pointed fingers at Ukraine, accusing it of an attack, though Ukraine has yet to respond.

The catastrophe in Belgorod resulted in 15 fatalities and at least 20 injuries. The latest victim was found amidst the wreckage by rescue crews who continued their diligent search through the debris. It's reported that approximately 16 apartments were obliterated.

Photos circulating on social media show the devastation—one staircase of the building is destroyed, while other parts appear intact. The region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, stated that the cause of the fall was a direct missile impact. On the contrary, the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that the damage was caused not by a direct hit but by fragments of the Ukrainian Tochka-U missile captured by air defense. There were repeated anti-aircraft alarms in the border town, which sounded five times that day.

Disaster in Belgorod

The BBC reports a variety of explanations for the incident, highlighting conflicting narratives from different Russian authorities. The Investigative Committee of Russia attributes the missile strike to an act by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, initiating a criminal case under the label of terrorism.

Social media, however, is rife with alternative theories, including suggestions of an internal explosion or the accidental drop of mortar from a Russian bomber - incidents not unheard of in recent times.

Andriy Kovalenko of the Center for Countering Disinformation draws attention to video footage that seems to contradict the Russian accusations of a Ukrainian bombardment, noting the absence of any visible falling objects before the explosion. He suggests the possibility of a deliberate act by Russia or an attempt to manipulate information, potentially as a pretext for further assaults on Ukrainian residential areas.

Tense times in Belgorod

The preceding Saturday also marked a grim day for Belgorod, with a woman's death and 29 people injured due to alleged Ukrainian shelling, as reported by Reuters, citing regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Intense bombardment of Belgorod city and its surrounding region was reported, though these claims have yet to be verified by independent sources.

As the dust settles in Belgorod, the truth behind the disaster remains in a fog of war, with competing narratives clouding the international community's understanding of the event.