Russia says world bodies’ silence on Kiev attacks on its cities to be seen as complicity

Lead

Russia's Foreign Ministry has urged international organizations and governments to condemn Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities, warning that silence would be treated as complicity in what it calls terrorist acts. The appeal, voiced by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, came after a series of strikes on the Belgorod and Rostov regions and the republic of Tatarstan, which Russia says killed and wounded dozens of civilians.

Coverage Comparison

TASS, Russia's state news agency, reported the statements in two separate articles. The first, dated July 27, focused on attacks in the Rostov Region. The second, dated August 10, addressed strikes on Belgorod and Nizhnekamsk. Both articles carried Zakharova's remarks in full, along with casualty figures and details of property damage. No other news organizations' coverage was available for comparison.

Key Claims

In the July 27 statement, Zakharova said Ukraine had carried out "large-scale nighttime attacks" on Rostov-on-Don and other populated areas in the Rostov Region on July 25 and 27. She reported that five people, including a minor, were killed, and at least 13 were wounded, including a teenager. She called on "all responsible governments, related international organizations and independent media" to publicly condemn "Kiev's atrocities," warning that "remaining silent will imply complicity in terrorist activities of Ukrainian neo-Nazis."

In the August 10 statement, Zakharova condemned "the latest vile attacks by Ukraine" on Belgorod and Nizhnekamsk. She said Russia would view silence as "complicity and encouragement of new attacks on the civilian population of Russia." She added that the strikes were "meaningless from a military point of view" and carried out "for terrorist purposes," and that "the daily atrocities of the Kiev regime continue against the civilian population in other regions of Russia."

Zakharova said the Investigative Committee had opened criminal cases regarding the attacks and that "all those involved will be identified and face inevitable, severe punishment or military retribution."

TASS reported that Tatarstan said it was attacked on Monday morning by "enemy drones targeting both industrial and civilian facilities." The agency said 13 people were killed, more than 70 sought help, and 21 were hospitalized. A criminal case was opened under Article 205 of the Criminal Code (terrorist attack), and the republic declared mourning.

The same TASS article reported that a Ukrainian attack on Belgorod on the night of August 9 killed five people and injured 25. It said 29 apartment buildings were damaged, two of which caught fire; three administrative buildings, three social facilities, and six commercial facilities were also damaged. Five private houses were damaged, one of which burned down, and 33 cars were affected.

The reports did not include any response from Ukrainian authorities or from international organizations mentioned in the statements.