The Russia-installed mayor of Sevastopol in Ukraine’s southern region of Crimea says a Ukrainian missile strike on the port city has killed five people, including three children. Russia unilaterally annexed Crimea in 2014.
The Russian defense ministry says in a statement that the attack shortly after midday on Sunday involved five ATACMS missiles supplied by the United States to Ukraine.
The ministry says Russian air defense units intercepted four of the missiles equipped with cluster warheads but the fifth one exploded in mid-air.
It adds that Washington is mostly responsible for the deliberate missile strike on peaceful residents.
The Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, is reportedly capable of precision strikes. US media outlets report that missiles launched by the system have a range of about 300 kilometers.