By Man Faulconbridge and Filipp Lebedev
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia mentioned on Sunday that the USA was liable for a Ukrainian assault on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with 5 U.S.-supplied missiles that killed not less than 5 folks together with three youngsters and injured 124 extra.
The Russian Defence Ministry mentioned 4 of the U.S.-delivered Military Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, outfitted with cluster warheads, had been shot down by air defence techniques and the ammunition of a fifth had detonated in mid-air.
The ministry mentioned U.S. specialists had set the missiles’ flight coordinates on the idea of data from U.S. spy satellites, which means Washington was straight accountable.
“Responsibility for the deliberate missile attack on the civilians of Sevastopol is borne above all by Washington, which supplied these weapons to Ukraine, and by the Kyiv regime, from whose territory this strike was carried out,” the ministry mentioned.
The USA started supplying Ukraine with longer vary ATACMS missiles, which have a 300-km vary, earlier this 12 months.
Reuters was unable to right away confirm battlefield stories from both facet.
Tv footage on Russian state tv confirmed folks operating from a seaside and a few folks being carried off on solar loungers.
Russian-installed authorities in Crimea mentioned missile fragments had fallen simply after midday close to a seaside on the north facet of the town of Sevastopol the place locals had been holidaying.
At the least 124 had been injured, Russian Well being Minister Mikhail Murashko mentioned. The injured included 27 youngsters, 5 of whom are in a critical situation, authorities mentioned.
RUSSIA VOWS RESPONSE
Russia will reply to Sunday’s assault, the Defence Ministry mentioned, with out elaborating. The Kremlin mentioned President Vladimir Putin has been “in constant contact with the military” because the assault on Sevastopol.
Neither Ukraine nor the USA has commented on the assault, which got here on a day when Ukraine mentioned one individual had been killed and 10 others wounded by Russian strikes on the jap Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and now views the Black Sea peninsula it as an integral a part of its territory, although many of the world considers it nonetheless as a part of Ukraine.
Putin has repeatedly accused the U.S. of utilizing Ukraine to undermine Russia’s personal safety – one thing Kyiv and its Western allies deny – and has warned of rising dangers of a direct confrontation between Moscow and the U.S.-led NATO alliance.
Putin despatched tens of 1000’s of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, in what he solid as a defensive transfer towards a hostile and aggressive West. Ukraine and the West say Russia is waging an imperial-style battle of aggression and a land seize.
