US Says Russia Used Short-Range Ballistic Missile in Train Station Attack
The United States has condemned a recent attack in Ukraine in which Russia is believed to have used a short-range ballistic missile.
A Pentagon official said Russia used an SS-21 Scarab missile to hit the train station, which was packed with women, children, and the elderly. Though Russia has denied involvement, the attack has provoked new Western outrage. The attack came as the head of the European Union delegation visited Zelensky’s government in Ukraine.
The rocket fragment found near the train station had the words, “For the children,” written in Russian. According to the Ukrainian Railways, more than 100 people were killed and injured. NBC News was unable to independently confirm the death toll. The Ukrainian authorities had earlier urged people to flee ahead of the feared Russian onslaught. After the attacks, many people gathered to escape the anticipated Russian attack on the Donetsk region.
A senior US defense official says the attack on the Kramatorsk train station is the result of Russian forces launching a short-range ballistic missile. The official also said the country was focused on its offensive against Ukraine and that it may have attacked a transport hub to block the Ukrainian forces from reaching it. The number of Russian forces in the region has increased by several thousand since the incident, according to the senior U.S. defense official. The official added that indications indicate that some of these units are heading to western Russia.
The British government has also announced sanctions against officials in Russia. Among the measures being considered are asset freezes and travel bans. It has also cut off Russia’s access to fertilizer and pipe valves. However, there is no direct evidence that Russia tried to influence American politics. But the threat to the United States’ election remains. And the Biden administration’s support of Ukraine will likely give Putin the incentive to target another election.
Russian officials denied using the Tochka-U missile in the railway station attack. However, they did say that Ukraine had a battalion of Tochka-U missiles, and that this attack was a provocation. Meanwhile, Russia says it has no other strikes against the city of Kramatorsk, and the attack was a provocation.
The incident in Ukraine has caused death to 50 people. In the city of Kramatorsk, the rocket hit a key evacuation hub. The victims included 16 children, as well as 98 civilians. Authorities in eastern Ukraine urged civilians to evacuate. The United States is demanding a strong global response. But the world leaders are not willing to budge.
Ukraine is in the middle of a major Russian offensive, and the train station strike is the latest sign. The passenger railway station has been packed with civilians for days, and evacuation calls were issued a day before the attack. According to authorities, 4,000 people were on the platform and in the car park when the attack happened. Since Russian reconnaissance would not have known about the dense crowding in the area, it is unlikely that it was an accident. In spite of the tragic consequences, Ukrainian authorities insist that the decision to target the station was deliberate and the incident was not a “random” attack.