The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that a missile struck the southwest port city of Taganrog on Friday, calling the incident a “terrorist attack” by Ukraine.
The city center was hit by a major blast on Friday, with at least 15 people injured, according to local authorities.
Ukrainian forces used a re-purposed missile from a Soviet-era S-200 anti-aircraft system to target the city, the military said. The missile was “intercepted” by Russian forces, but fragments ended up falling on the city, it added.
“As a result of the terrorist act committed by the Kiev regime, several buildings were damaged, and there are also casualties among civilians,” the statement said.
Footage from the scene, circulating online, shows that the missile left a large crater in the ground, with several buildings and vehicles damaged by the blast. The missile contained spherical pieces of shrapnel, a trademark of S-200 anti-aircraft munitions, and one video shows several of the steel balls being found by witnesses at the site.