Ukrainian army accused of attacking Russian civilians

The Russian military only attacks military targets in Ukraine, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on September 5, stressing that Kiev was not doing so, as he accused Ukraine of freely attacking civilians.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Mr. Peskov said that the Ukrainian army "does not hesitate to use any means" when attacking residential and civilian buildings in Russia. The Russian army "continues attacks only on military targets or near military targets." According to Mr. Peskov, "while we see the Kiev authorities using cluster bombs on residential areas and purely civilian targets."

However, Russia will continue to "increase efficiency, increase pressure and move forward" in carrying out its special military operation until "all goals are achieved", Mr. Peskov declared.

Since the conflict began in February 2022, Ukrainian forces have repeatedly shelled the Russian border regions of Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk, causing civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. One of the latest attacks in the Belgorod region on Sunday night destroyed a kindergarten, prompting regional authorities to close dozens of other schools and switch some to remote learning. Belgorod has been hit by repeated Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks this week. The attack, in which Ukrainian forces allegedly used cluster bombs, killed five civilians and injured 46, including seven minors.

In an interview with the Izvestia news agency, Peskov also said that on Tuesday the Ukrainian military suffered a major blow when a Russian missile strike hit a training center in the city of Poltava. Dozens of soldiers were killed and wounded in what President Zelensky described as an attack on “an educational institution.” The Russian military said the facility housed foreign instructors who were training Ukrainians in military communications, electronic warfare and drone operations.