Russia claims to have intercepted Ukrainian ballistic missiles attacking Crimea

Crimea's governor says Russian air defenses shot down two Ukrainian tactical ballistic missiles aimed at the peninsula.

"Air defense forces intercepted two ballistic missiles from the Ukrainian Grom-2 complex in the morning. There were no casualties. I ask the population to remain calm and trust only official sources of information," Crimean governor Sergey Aksyonov wrote on Telegram today.

The Russian Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian military have not commented on the information.

A missile launcher of the Russian S-400 air defense system deployed in Crimea in 2017. Photo: RIA Novosti

Russian officials have repeatedly accused Ukraine of attacking the Crimean peninsula with missiles, drones and suicide boats in recent months, but Kiev has often denied responsibility. The Crimean peninsula was attacked twice by Grom-2 ballistic missiles in April and May, both of which were intercepted and did not cause damage.

Grom-2 is a Ukrainian-made ballistic missile with a range of 300 km, but can be extended to 500 km if necessary, equivalent to the Russian Iskander missile. The Grom-2's warhead weighs 480 kg, including a fragmentation or concrete-piercing warhead.

Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula after a referendum in 2014. The US, its Western allies and Ukraine called the move illegal.

Kiev has repeatedly declared that it will retake Crimea through a counterattack. General Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate, announced on September 30, 2022 that the country's army would enter Crimea before the end of spring 2023, or at the latest in April. However, summer has already begun but there has been no sign of the Ukrainian army launching a counterattack on the peninsula.

Crimean peninsula and surrounding areas. Graphics: RYV

Russian officials have repeatedly warned that any attempt by Ukraine to retake Crimea would face dire consequences. Deputy head of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said in March that Russia would use all its weapons if Ukraine tried to retake the peninsula.

Vu Anh (According to TASS, Reuters )

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