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Belgorod hit by Ukrainian airstrike after US call on Americans to leave Russia — Zakharova

Zakharova said that on March 31 at about 19.30 UTC, Spokesperson for the US Department of State Ned Price urged the US citizens in Russia and Ukraine to leave those countries immediately

MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Armed Forces carried out an airstrike on a petroleum depot in the Russian city of Belgorod after the US Department of State had called on US citizens to leave Russia, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

"Did Washington know?" she wrote in her Telegram channel.

Zakharova said that on March 31 at about 19.30 UTC, Spokesperson for the US Department of State Ned Price urged the US citizens in Russia and Ukraine to leave those countries immediately.

"We take seriously our responsibility to inform US citizens about developments that may impact their safety and security when they are traveling or residing outside of the United States," Price said adding, "We reiterate that all US citizens in Russia and Ukraine should depart immediately."

"Six hours later, on April 1 at 02.00 a.m. UTC, two Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopters crossed the Russian border and carried out a strike on targets in Belgorod," the Russian diplomat noted.

On Friday morning, a fire broke out at a petroleum depot belonging to the Belgorodnefteprodukt company after the Ukrainian Armed Forces had carried out two airstrikes in Belgorod. No one was killed or injured in the incident. The fire engulfed fuel tanks, so the residents of nearby apartment buildings were evacuated. The blaze was extinguished only by night. Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin initiated an investigation into the airstrike.