MOSCOW

Russian authorities on Wednesday declared an air raid alert in the city of Belgorod, the first time since the launch of its "special military operation" in Ukraine in February 2022.

Belgorod mayor's office in a statement said the decision was taken due to a Ukrainian attack.

Both Russia and Ukraine have recently accused each other of intensification of air attacks.

On Jan. 1, President Vladimir Putin said his country will not let “a single crime of this kind” go unpunished following an unprecedented raid on the Russian city of Belgorod, which killed 25 people and wounded many others, a day after Kyiv said Moscow launched missiles and drones on Ukrainian cities.