When Submunitions Rained down on the Beach of Crimea

Russian media recently shared a video showing a series of submunitions falling on a crowded beach in Crimea, believed to be from Ukraine’s ATACMS missile. The video, shot from a surveillance camera on a beach in the Crimean peninsula, captured the moment submunitions continuously fell and exploded while people were swimming and playing. Explosions in the sky caused panic among beachgoers, with some running away and others attempting to escape.

In the video footage, a submunition exploded near a person holding a yellow buoy, who managed to continue running seemingly uninjured. These submunitions are believed to be from the ATACMS tactical ballistic missile launched by Ukraine into Crimea on June 23. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian forces launched five ATACMS missiles at the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, resulting in civilian casualties. The incident killed five people, including two children, and injured over 150.

Russia accused the US of being responsible for the attack, claiming that the US provided ATACMS missiles to Ukraine and set the flight coordinates of the projectiles. The US denied involvement in the incident, stating that Ukraine chose its own targets during military operations. Tensions escalated between the US, Russia, and Ukraine over the attack, with each side blaming the other for the tragic event.

The US had previously transferred ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, which have a range of 165 km and carry cluster munitions. Russia criticized the US for providing cluster munitions to Ukraine, highlighting the potential for widespread damage to people and vehicles. The incident in Crimea reignited tensions between the nations and raised concerns about the use of advanced weaponry in conflict zones.