Zakharova Urges Munich Security Conference to Address Civilian Strikes in Russia
Munich, The Gulf Observer: Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has called on participants of the Munich Security Conference to focus on what she described as attacks on Russian civilians, rather than debating further military assistance to Ukraine.
Her remarks followed a statement by Vyacheslav Gladkov, Governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, who said that a Ukrainian strike on the border area on Friday left two people dead and five others injured. According to Gladkov, the attack disrupted electricity, heating, and water supplies, and caused damage to residential buildings and vehicles.
Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukraine of targeting border regions with drones, artillery, and missile strikes since the escalation of the conflict in 2022, alleging that hundreds of civilians have been killed.
In response to the latest incident, Zakharova urged Western leaders attending the conference to address what she termed “indiscriminate attacks” by Kiev. “The Munich Security Policy Conference should discuss this hellish terrorism against the civilian population by the Kiev regime, rather than ways of pumping money into the ghouls on Bankova Street,” she said, referring to the Ukrainian government’s headquarters.
The Munich Security Conference opened on Friday, bringing together more than 60 heads of state and government for the three-day gathering. Discussions are expected to cover the ongoing Ukraine conflict as well as broader geopolitical challenges, including tensions between the United States and the European Union and concerns about the erosion of the so-called rules-based international order.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the rules-based order “no longer exists,” while French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to accelerate its strategic autonomy.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is also scheduled to address the conference and hold several meetings, which he said would focus on expanding joint military production with partners.
