UN Security Council meets on the Ukraine situation, New York, USA. File photo: Xinhua/VNA

Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA) told the meeting “We unequivocally condemn all attacks on cities, town and villages, in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation.” “Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and must end now,” Mr. Khiari said.

According to Mr. Khiari, the Russian city of Belgorod, located about 40km from the Ukrainian border, was attacked on Saturday, and at least 18 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured.

A day earlier, Ukraine announced that Russia's air strikes on various cities in Ukraine resulted in dozens of civilians killed and infrastructure damaged.