Russia has blamed the US and vowed “consequences” for Ukraine’s missile attack on Sevastopol in occupied Crimea on Sunday, which officials say killed four people – including have 2 children.
About 150 other people were injured in the attack when rocket debris fell on a nearby beach.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said the missiles used by Ukraine were ATACMS missiles provided by the US and confirmed they were programmed by US experts.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the attack “barbaric” and accused the US of “killing Russian children”.
He pointed to comments by President Vladimir Putin, who recently vowed to target countries supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Moscow said Sunday’s deaths and injuries were caused by falling debris, after its air defense forces in Crimea intercepted five missiles carrying cluster warheads launched by Ukrainian forces.
Footage broadcast by Russian state television showed chaos on the beach in the Uchkuyevka area, as people fled from falling debris and some injured people were carried away on sun loungers.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that all ATACMS missiles were programmed by American experts and guided by American satellites.
“Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions and conducts its own military operations,” a White House National Security Council spokesman told the BBC.
The US has been supplying ATACMS missiles to Ukraine for more than a year. According to manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the system allows Ukrainian forces to strike targets up to 300km (186 miles) away.
Moscow illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and only a few countries recognize the peninsula as Russian territory. Therefore, it is not within the scope of the US request that Ukraine refrain from using weapons provided by Washington to attack Russian territory.
However, Mr Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Monday that “US involvement, direct involvement, in the deaths of Russian civilians, cannot be without consequences”.
“Time will tell how these things will turn out,” he added.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned US Ambassador Lynne Tracy on Monday before issuing a statement accusing the US of engaging in an “atrocity” and vowing that the country would “go unpunished”.
Moscow has repeatedly threatened to target countries supplying weapons to Ukraine, arguing that they are legitimate military targets.
“We know very well who is behind this,” Mr. Peskov told reporters on Monday.
“[Mr Putin] just last week it was about who is aiming these technologically extremely complex missiles at the targets, who is providing these launches. These are not Ukrainians.”
Earlier this month, Mr. Putin made this threat again during a meeting with international news agencies.
“If someone thinks it is okay to supply such weapons to war zones to attack our territory and cause us trouble, then why do we not have the right to supply weapons of the same type to other countries? the area of the world where a strike will occur. about the sensitive facilities of those (Western) countries?” he said.
“That is, the response may be disproportionate,” he added. We will think about it.”
Ukrainian officials defended the attack after the attack, calling Crimea a legitimate target.
Mykhailo Podolyak – a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky – said the peninsula is essentially “a large military camp” which he said holds “hundreds of direct military targets that the Russians are trying to cover up.” hide and conceal with their civilians”. .
The United Nations human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine says at least 10,000 civilians have died since Russia invaded in February 2022. Officials say the actual toll is likely much higher.
