Russia has accused the United States of being responsible for a fatal strike on a key port in Crimea on Sunday, alleging that missiles supplied by the U.S. were used in the attack. The strike resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals and left dozens wounded, marking one of the most significant assaults on the Russian-annexed peninsula in recent times.
According to Russia's Defense Ministry, four Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) rockets provided by the U.S. were intercepted over Sevastopol, while fragments from the fifth rocket caused "significant casualties among civilians" on the ground. Click me
The ministry stated in a release, "All flight missions for the American ATACMS operational-tactical missiles are entered by American specialists based on U.S.' own satellite reconnaissance data." It further added, "Therefore, the primary responsibility for the deliberate missile attack on civilians in Sevastopol lies with Washington, which supplied these weapons to Ukraine, as well as the Kyiv regime, from whose territory this attack was launched."
NBC News was unable to independently verify the type of weapons used in the strike. The U.S. has been providing military assistance to Ukraine to counter Russia's invasion that began in February 2022. Recently, the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to utilize American weapons to target Russia, as per two American officials who spoke to NBC News.
The White House and the State Department did not respond immediately to requests for comments. Click me
Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 and is considered part of Russia by Moscow, although it is still recognized internationally as Ukrainian territory.
"The ministry added, "Such actions will not go unanswered."Click me
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor appointed by Moscow, stated that three children were among the deceased and over 120 individuals were wounded, as reported by the Russian state news agency Tass.
Razvozhayev announced a day of mourning in the city on Monday and mentioned that he has been visiting the injured in hospitals. Russian President Vladimir Putin contacted him promptly after the attack to offer his condolences to the victims' families. Click me
Alexander Kulagin, the deputy of the Moscow mayor, informed Tass that a significant number of the injured individuals were present at the beach during the assault.
Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, stated that medical professionals were being dispatched from the capital to provide all necessary aid and that Moscow clinics were prepared to receive the victims. Click me
No immediate response was received from Kyiv. The country's defense ministry, foreign affairs ministry, and military officials did not promptly reply to NBC News' request for comment.
Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, denounced the attack as an act of terrorism carried out with U.S. weaponry, and called for condemnation by the United Nations. Sergei Aksyonov, the Moscow-appointed leader of Crimea, described the incident as a barbaric and ruthless terrorist attack. Click me
Russian authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into the assault.
Furthermore, Ukrainian authorities reciprocated on Sunday by accusing civilians of terrorism, reporting the latest deadly Russian strike on the border city of Kharkiv.
Governor Oleh Syniehubov stated that Russia continued to target civilian infrastructure in the city with aerial bombings. The attacks on Sunday resulted in one fatality and 11 injuries, leaving a portion of Kharkiv without electricity and causing the suspension of the metro in the country's second-largest city. Click me
This incident occurred just one day after an attack on Kharkiv that claimed the lives of three individuals and injured 41 others, causing damage to a five-story residential building, as reported by Syniehubov.
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