Five people die in Russian missile assault; Ukrainian castle reminiscent of "Harry Potter" burns down.
Video footage showing countless explosions took place near the seafront, revealed by Ukraine's Prosecutor General's office. Additionally, other shared videos and images showcased fires consuming a local landmark known as "Harry Potter castle" due to its resemblance to a Scottish baronial pile.
Ukraine's officials suspect Russia employed an Iskander ballistic missile and cluster munitions to carry out the attack. According to Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, debris and metal fragments from the missile were found within 1.5 km (0.93 miles) of the attack's location. He added that the investigation suggests Russia intended to inflict severe casualties with the use of cluster munitions.
As a result of the attack, 30 people had injuries including two children and a pregnant woman. Moreover, 18 residential buildings and facilities were significantly damaged.
International treaty known as the Convention on Cluster Munitions outlaws the use, transfer, and production of cluster munitions. Yet, neither side nor the United States has signed this treaty. As part of a military aid package from 2022, cluster munitions had been delivered to Ukraine.
Simultaneously, Russian officials claim their air defenses thwarted a major missile and drone assault by Ukraine. Sergiy Aksyonov, the highest-ranking civil servant in occupied Crimea, cautioned people against approaching any suspected unexploded ordnance, while another official urged people not to film or share footage of Russian air defenses.
Russian military bloggers noted the targets were airfields. For a brief moment, the bridge linking Crimea to Russia, which is essential for supplying Russia's ongoing war, was closed for traffic but has since reopened.
Russian officials affirm the attack was mostly carried out using US-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), all of which their air defenses allegedly intercepted successfully. Ukraine has failed to respond and CNN can't substantiate Russia's claims. Almost no visual recordings or images of the explosions have surfaced.
Please note this is a continually developing story, updates will follow.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
