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The beach at Sevastopol was not the intended target,” stated Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby regarding the Ukrainian attack on Crimea on June 23. BulgarianMilitary.com reports that on that date, Ukraine launched an attack on the Crimean Peninsula. Unfortunately, civilians on Sevastopol’s beach were caught in the crossfire. According to the Russian Federation, over 100 people were injured, and tragically, five individuals, including two children, lost their lives.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that air defense systems intercepted four U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile System [ATACMS] missiles, but debris from the fifth missile unfortunately resulted in casualties on the ground.
RIA Novosti inquired about the type of ammunition used during the recent attack, but the source declined to corroborate whether U.S. ATACMS operational-tactical missiles were involved, suggesting that inquiries should be directed to Ukrainian authorities.
The video above captures the moment of the attack. If the American version is accurate, it indicates “multiple shrapnel” rather than a single fragment. Conversely, Russian authorities assert that what was seen were cluster submunitions from an American ATACMS missile, not fragmented pieces from an intercepted projectile.
The Georgia Republican, known for her firm opposition to U.S. aid for Ukraine, posted on X [formerly Twitter] following reports that five people were killed after Russians intercepted a missile over the city of Sevastopol in the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula on Sunday.
“The responsibility for the deliberate missile attack on Sevastopol’s civilians lies primarily with Washington, which provided these weapons to Ukraine, and with the Kyiv regime, from whose territory this strike was launched,” the ministry stated. Accounts of the incident indicate that the deaths resulted from an overhead missile interception, rather than a direct strike on the beach.
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced online: “Today at 12:15, Sevastopol was targeted in a planned missile attack involving five U.S. ATACMS operational-tactical missiles outfitted with cluster warheads.” According to the report, four of the missiles were intercepted by the air defense forces. Unfortunately, the mid-air explosion of the fifth missile’s fragmentation warhead resulted in numerous civilian casualties in Sevastopol.”
In terms of dimensions, the ATACMS missile is approximately 13 feet [4 meters] in length and has a diameter of about 24 inches [0.61 meters]. It weighs around 3,690 pounds [1,675 kilograms], making it a substantial weapon in the U.S. military’s arsenal.
The technical characteristics of the ATACMS include a solid-fuel rocket motor, which provides it with a range of up to 300 kilometers [186 miles]. The missile is guided by an inertial navigation system [INS] coupled with GPS, ensuring high accuracy in hitting its targets. The ATACMS can achieve speeds of up to Mach 3, making it a fast and formidable weapon.
Regarding interception, the Soviet/Russian anti-aircraft system capable of intercepting the ATACMS missile is the S-300 series, specifically the S-300V [NATO reporting name SA-12 Gladiator/Giant]. The S-300V is designed to engage a variety of aerial threats, including tactical ballistic missiles like the ATACMS. It features advanced radar systems and interceptor missiles capable of tracking and destroying incoming targets at various altitudes and speeds.
BULGARIAN MILITARY