Ukrainian missile strike on Crimea kills three, injures over 100

Fragments from a missile intercepted by air defenses rained down on beachgoers, causing the casualties. Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev confirmed the fatalities on Telegram, specifying two children and one adult.

Russia's health ministry reported 124 injured, 27 of whom were children. The Defense Ministry blamed the attack on U.S.-supplied weapons used by Ukraine and further accused them of deploying cluster munitions.

This attack, deadlier than usual for the frequently targeted Black Sea port city, struck Uchkuyevka, an area known for its beaches and hotels. Social media videos, unverified by AFP, captured people fleeing the beach amid explosions and individuals in swimwear transporting someone on a stretcher.

Russia's Investigative Committee launched a probe into the incident, classifying it as a "terrorist act." Governor Razvozhayev stated that five Ukrainian missiles were intercepted at sea, with fragments causing injuries and fires on the shore, including a burning house and woodland.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attack constituted "terrorism against civilian infrastructure" and involved U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles equipped with cluster warheads. They reported downing four missiles and a fifth changing course after interception, causing its warhead to detonate over the city.

While Ukraine has not commented on the attack, it follows a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv the previous day that struck an apartment building, killing two and injuring over 50. Another Russian strike on Sunday targeted a house in Kharkiv, resulting in one fatality and five injuries, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov reported three injuries from a separate strike on a children's educational facility.

On the same day, a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia's southern Belgorod region tragically killed a civilian, as reported by the governor. Three Ukrainian drones attacked Graivoron, near the Ukrainian border, with one hitting a car park close to an apartment building.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky utilized social media to urge supporting nations to bolster Ukraine's offensive capabilities within Russia. "We possess the resolve to eliminate terrorists on their own soil—it's only just—and require similar determination from our partners. We can defeat Russia," Zelensky wrote. (ILKHA)