Ukrainian attack with US missiles in Crimea leaves dead, says Russia

Russia said this Sunday (23) that Ukraine carried out an attack on the Crimean peninsula with five missiles supplied by the United States. The action killed at least five people, including three children, and injured 124 more, according to Russian authorities.

The Russian Defense Ministry said four of the US-delivered Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles equipped with cluster warheads were shot down by air defense systems and ammunition from a fifth projectile detonated in the air.

The ministry claimed that US experts defined the flight coordinates of the missiles based on information from American spy satellites, which means that the country was directly responsible for the attack.

“Responsibility for the deliberate missile attack on the civilians of Sevastopol lies above all with Washington, which supplied these weapons to Ukraine, and the Kiev regime, from whose territory this attack was carried out,” the ministry said.

The United States began supplying Ukraine with ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 300 km, earlier this year.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify Russia’s reports.

Footage from Russian state television showed people running on a beach and others being carried away on sun loungers.

Russian officials in Crimea said missile fragments fell just after noon near a beach on the north side of the city of Sevastopol, where residents were on vacation.

At least 124 were injured, highlighted Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko. This includes 27 children, five of whom are in serious condition, according to authorities.

Russia promises response

Russia promised a response to Sunday’s attack, the Defense Ministry said, without giving further details. The Kremlin stressed that President Vladimir Putin has been “in constant contact with the military” since the offensive on Sevastopol.

Neither Ukraine nor the United States have commented on the attack.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and now views the Black Sea peninsula as an integral part of its territory, although most of the world still considers it part of Ukraine.