Belgorod apartment collapse blamed on Ukraine by Russia

On May 12, 2024, a devastating explosion in Belgorod, Russia, caused an entire section of an apartment building to collapse, leaving at least two people dead and 19 others injured. The incident has sparked a blame game between Russia and Ukraine, with each side pointing fingers at the other.

According to CCTV footage from the scene, a large blast near the base of the 10-storey block preceded the building’s collapse. The regional governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, accused Ukraine of bombarding the region, attributing the explosion to a Ukrainian shell. However, Ukrainian officials have cast doubt on this claim, suggesting that it may have been a guided bomb dropped by a Russian plane that malfunctioned.

Rescuers are currently working to remove debris by hand in search of survivors, with fears that the main building could collapse further. Surrounding apartments have been evacuated as a precaution. One resident recounted the harrowing experience of her husband being injured in the blast while in their bedroom, stating that he did not have time to escape.

The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case in response to the incident. Meanwhile, fighting continues just across the border in north-eastern Ukraine, with Russian forces making incursions into the Kharkiv region. The situation remains tense as both sides claim to be carrying out military operations in the area.