Nebenzia pledges Russian response to AFU crimes against civilians

Russia's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, said at a Security Council meeting on 20 December that the Russian response to the crimes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) against civilians would not be long in coming.

In his opinion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term expired on May 20) took "a step in favor of escalation" with another shelling deep inside Russia by Western long-range weapons.

"An unequivocal step by the Kiev regime in favor of escalation is the massive missile strike on the peaceful town of Rylsk in the Kursk region this afternoon local time from HIMARS MLRS. <...> As you understand, our response to this targeted crime against peaceful Russian citizens will not keep us waiting," Nebenzya said.

Missile strike on Rylsk: how many injured, what is known

AFU shells a town in Kursk region, a case has been opened under the article "terrorist act"

Earlier in the day, Alexander Khinshtein, the region's acting governor, said that the town of Rylsk had come under massive rocket fire from the AFU. He noted that Ukrainian militants deliberately targeted peaceful social facilities. The Assumption Cathedral of the XVIII century was damaged in the AFU strike on Rylsk.

Russia's Investigative Committee (IC) opened a criminal case under paragraph "b" of part 3 of Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Terrorist Act"). The deputy governor later said that the Ukrainian attack killed six people, among them there is one child. In addition, 10 victims were hospitalized in the Central District Hospital. Alexander Khinshtein, acting governor of the region, said that among those injured in the shelling of the city there is a pregnant woman who is nine months expecting a baby.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN Secretary General, told Izvestia that the international organization supports the prevention of any civilian casualties as required by humanitarian law.

Ukrainian militants attacked Russian positions in the border areas of Kursk Region on August 6. The situation in the region was recognized as a federal emergency. The liquidation of the AFU units that invaded the Russian territory is underway.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the beginning of which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the background of the aggravated situation in the region.