Ukraine war updates: Russia downs 12 Ukrainian missiles over Belgorod

• Russia claims, Ukraine launches aerial attack on Belgorod
• Russia's air defense systems shot down 12 missiles launched from Ukraine
• UN urges 'restraint' amid attacks on civilians

Ukraine sent 12 missiles and several drones over Russia's southern region of Belgorod in the early hours of Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry and local officials have said.

The Defense Ministry said air defense systems had shot down all 12 of the missiles.

Regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov spoke of a "tense" situation in Belgorod, where Russia says Ukrainian attacks killed 25 civilians including five children on Saturday.

There was no word of any casualties from the latest attacks.

Ukraine stepped up its attacks on Belgorod over the New Year Eve's holiday period, as Russia carried out some of its most intense strikes on Ukraine since Moscow began its invasion almost two years ago.

Kyiv said cities across Ukraine had been targeted by more than 300 drones and missiles launched by Russian forces since Friday.

UN urges 'restraint' amid attacks on civilians

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called on Moscow and Kyiv to exercise restraint after recent attacks from both sides claimed civilian casualties

"Alarming escalation of hostilities, dozens of civilians killed in #Ukraine & #Russia," his office wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, late on Tuesday evening.

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Alarming escalation of hostilities, dozens of civilians killed in #Ukraine & #Russia. Int’l humanitarian law prohibits indiscriminate attacks & attacks against civilian objects. @volker_turk urges immediate steps to de-escalate, ensure protection of civilians & respect int’l law.

— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) January 2, 2024 >

The statement called for "immediate steps to de-escalate, ensure protection of civilians & respect int'l law."

It comes as Russia has stepped up its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, which have often hit civilian infrastructure despite Moscow's frequent insistence that it does not target noncombatants.

Russia, for its part, has said 25 civilians, including children, were killed by a Ukrainian aerial attack on the Russian city of Belgorod on Saturday.

It marked the largest civilian death toll for Russia in an attack since Moscow launched its unprovoked offensive against Ukraine in February 2022.

West should step up aid amid latest Russian attacks: Poland

Poland's foreign minister has urged the West to tighten sanctions on Moscow and give Kyiv long-range missiles as Russia escalates its airstrikes on its neighbor.

"We should respond to the latest onslaught on Ukraine in language that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin understands: by tightening sanctions so that he cannot make new weapons with smuggled components and by giving Kyiv long range missiles that will enable it to take out launch sites and command centers," Radoslaw Sikorski wrote on the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

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We should respond to the latest onslaught on Ukraine in language that Putin understands: by tightening sanctions so that he cannot make new weapons with smuggled components and by giving Kyiv long range missiles that will enable it to take out launch sites and command centers.

— Radosław Sikorski (@sikorskiradek) January 3, 2024 >

His remarks come as Russia steps up its drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, partly in response to a deadly Ukrainian attack on the Russian border city of Belgorod on Saturday.

On Tuesday, Russia carried out a new wave of heavy airstrikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv, with at least five civilians killed.