France considers that, in self-defense under the UN Charter, Ukraine has the right to strike back on the territory of the aggressor country, Russia, including in Belgorod. This position from Paris has triggered a barrage of hysterical criticism from the Kremlin.
France's Position
In response to information about the explosions in the Russian city of Belgorod at the end of December 2023, possibly due to shelling by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified the country's position.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that there is an aggressor state, Russia, which "pursues a strategy of terror through deliberate attacks on essential civilian infrastructure, violating international humanitarian law." At the same time, Ukraine "acts in self-defense, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter."
"Russia has the opportunity to put an end to this conflict and the human tragedies that accompany it, for which it bears full responsibility," emphasized the ministry.
To achieve this, France explained, Russia must withdraw all its troops from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine.
"This is a necessary condition for restoring a strong peace and preserving the international order based on law," the French Ministry stated.
Russian Response
On January 3, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, reacted hysterically to the corresponding statement from the French ministry. Without going into details or explanations, the official issued a barrage of crude insults in his Telegram directed at the French.
"The French Foreign Ministry wrote. A strike on Belgorod using cluster munitions is 'the right to self-defense.' Bstards. Bllsh*t. Degenerates," reads the message from the Russian official.
To recap, on December 30, Russian media claimed an alleged shelling of the city of Belgorod. It was reported that over 40 buildings and 60 vehicles were damaged. Soon after, sources from RBC-Ukraine in the special services reported that the Security and Defense Forces had launched a missile strike on military targets in Belgorod.
Additionally, Russians claimed that the so-called shelling continued on January 1 and 2. The Russian Ministry of Defense spoke about allegedly downed missiles. On the morning of January 3, explosions and sirens were heard again in Belgorod, and the local governor announced a "tense situation."
