civilians in the city of Belgorod with missiles and rockets, killing at least 18 people and wounding dozens more.

It was an attack, said Moscow, that would “not go unpunished”.

As Russia’s emergency situations ministry issued a statement updating the Belgorod toll, a UN Security Council meeting called by Moscow to discuss the attacks got underway in New York.

The attack came a day after Ukraine said a barrage of Russian missile strikes on several cities killed at least 39 people, wounding dozens more.