Russia says 5 killed, more than 100 injured in explosion in Crimea, Ukraine

“The responsibility for the deliberate missile bombardment of the civilian population of Sevastopol lies primarily with Washington, which supplied these weapons to Ukraine,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, also referring to the Kiev authorities.

The attack took place in Sevastopol, a port city that is home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Russia’s Defense Ministry warned that such actions “will not go unanswered.”

According to the Russian military, Ukraine launched five ATACMS missiles, four of which were intercepted.

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In April, the United States announced the delivery of long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, which has long requested the ability to strike beyond the front lines. Washington authorized Ukraine to use the weapons to attack Russian military targets near the city of Kharkiv in late May, following a Russian ground offensive near the city in early May.

So far, neither Ukraine nor the United States has officially reacted to the Sevastopol blast, which Moscow-appointed governor Mikhail Razvoyev said killed five people, including three children, and injured more than 100.

Coastal Areas

Five other children were in critical condition, Razvoyev said in a video posted on his Telegram account.

Razvoyaev said that the Ukrainian military launched cluster ballistic missiles in Sevastopol during the day. According to him, the debris of the downed missiles fell in the coastal area.

Russian media showed videos showing people on the beach fleeing after hearing explosions. The agency could not verify the authenticity of the images.

Sevastopol is a frequent target of attacks on the Crimean Peninsula, which has been annexed by Moscow since 2014 and is vital to Russian forces.

Ukraine has faced Russian aggression for two years, usually responding with attacks on Russian regions or occupied territories.

Russia’s Defense Ministry accused the former Soviet republic of “launching a terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure in Sevastopol using American ATACMS tactical missiles loaded with cluster bombs.”

The ministry detailed that four missiles were shot down and the fifth missile changed its trajectory after being intercepted, causing the payload to explode over the city of Sevastopol.

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Bombing in Kharkiv

This Sunday, Russia bombed Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city in the northeast of the territory. According to the regional governor Oleg Sinegubov, the attack killed one person and injured 10 people, including two teenagers.

The city, near the Russian border, was targeted in an attack on Saturday that left two people dead and about 50 injured, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that part of the city of Kharkiv had lost power and the subway was “paralyzed,” and again requested the dispatch of air defense systems.

Power outages are expected across Ukraine on Monday due to damage to the grid caused by a “large-scale” Russian attack, power operator Ukrenergo announced.

Also on Sunday, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three in the small town of Glavoron in Russia’s Belgorod region, near the Ukrainian border, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

The Belgorod region is a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks, with Kiev claiming to be defending its territory against Russian attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday encouraged allies to help Kiev step up its offensive on Russian territory.

“We are determined enough to eliminate terrorists from their territory,” the president wrote, “and we need the same determination from our partners.”