Russia and Ukraine have been in a full-fledged war with each other since Russia attempted invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Now, Russia has blamed the United States for a Ukrainian missile attack on Sevastopol in Crimea, which killed four people, including two children, and injured about 150. The attack, which occurred on Sunday, involved ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles supplied by the US. According to Russia’s defense ministry, these missiles were programmed and guided by US specialists and satellites. Russian air defences intercepted the missiles, but debris fell on a nearby beach, causing the casualties.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the strike “barbaric” and accused the US of killing Russian children. He reminded that President Vladimir Putin had previously threatened to target countries providing weapons to Ukraine. Peskov warned of consequences for the US but did not give specifics. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov supported this view, stating that using the ATACMS system requires direct US military involvement, including satellite support.
In response, a White House National Security Council spokesperson said that Ukraine makes its own decisions about targets and military operations. Ukrainian officials, including Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor of President Zelensky, defended the strike on Crimea, calling it a valid military target. Podolyak said Crimea is like a large military base with many targets, and accused Russia of using civilians as shields.
This attack and the accusations have increased tensions between Russia and the US. Russia has previously warned it might target countries that supply weapons to Ukraine, considering that a fair game. Recently, President Putin hinted that Russia might provide similar weapons to other regions as a response to Western actions.
The strike on Sevastopol highlights the ongoing conflict since Russia took over Crimea in 2014, which most countries don’t recognize as Russia annexed the area illegally. The US has been giving ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for over a year, enabling them to hit targets up to 300 km away.
According to the UN’s human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, at least 10,000 civilians have died since Russia invaded Ukraine, though the real number is likely higher. The conflict continues to have serious humanitarian impacts, with both sides experiencing heavy losses.