The European Union reiterated this Friday his call to the Russian president, Vladimir Putinto “immediately cease” attacks on civilians, after at least 19 people were killed last night in a missile attack on a building in the Odessa region (southern Ukraine).
“These attacks on civilians must stop immediately,” wrote the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the EU, Josep Borell, in a message spread on social networks to regret that there continue to be “many more civilian victims” in the invasion of Ukraine .
“Those responsible for acts that constitute a war crime must be held accountable in accordance with International Law,” the official from the European Union.
At least 21 people died and dozens were wounded on Friday in two bombings in the region of Odessaa Ukrainian port on the Black Sea, denounced by the president Volodímir Zelenski as a “deliberate” attack by Russian forces.
Los missiles hit an apartment building and a recreation center in Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky, about 80 kilometers south of Odessa.
The death toll “rose to 21”, including a 12-year-old boy, said Sergéi Brachuk, deputy chief of the district of Odessawhich had previously indicated 19 deaths.
The emergency services specified that 16 people died in the building and five in the recreation center and that both attacks left at least 39 injured.
Brachuk said the raid was carried out by two planes from the Black Sea, which fired “very heavy and very powerful” missiles.
Russia continues its criticism of NATO
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandr Grushkó stated that by declaring Russia as the “main threat” NATO has opted for confrontation and containment of Moscow on all fronts.
“Russia has been recognized as a threat to the Alliance (…), this is a very serious turn, it is a true declaration of confrontation with us, of containment of Russia on all fronts,” Grushkó said at a session of the International Club of Valdai debate.
According to the diplomat, whatever the NATO leaders say about the defensive character of the Atlantic Alliance, “the vector of its military activity is decided and it is the confrontation with Russia.”
Grushko also stressed that NATO “questioned China’s right to develop as one of the poles of the multipolar world that has already been formed by calling the Asian giant a ‘challenge’.”
(With information from Europa Press and AFP)