Russia claims it shot down Ukrainian missile over Taganrog city; 14 injured

It is believed to be the first time that Taganrog – some 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the border with Ukraine — has been hit since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia shot down a Ukrainian missile over the southern Russian city of Taganrog, CNN reported on Friday citing Moscow Defence Ministry, which called the incidental "terrorist attack". However, the fragments of the blast injured several civilians.

It is believed to be the first time that Taganrog – some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border with Ukraine — has been hit since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as per CNN. "The Kyiv regime carried out a terrorist attack with an anti-aircraft missile of the S-200 air defence system converted into a strike version on the residential infrastructure of the city of Taganrog, Rostov Region," CNN quoted the Russian Ministry of Defense as saying.

Regional Governor, Vasily Golubev also said that there was a rocket explosion in the middle of the city on Friday in a Telegram post. "There are several victims, ambulances are handling the victims. Four people were slightly injured by broken glass. Information about the damage is being specified," he said. There have been no deaths, he added.

The Russian Ministry of Health later said 14 people had been injured, CNN reported. According to the Defence Ministry, Russian air defence systems intercepted the missile, fragments of which fell on the city and damaged buildings. Another missile was also downed Friday elsewhere in Rostov, the ministry added.

The Russian defence ministry further claimed that Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Moscow region overnight Friday, but said that its air defences thwarted the attack, which did not cause any damage or casualties, CNN reported. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow reserves the right to take "tough retaliatory measures" in response to the missile attacks against Taganrog and the attempted drone attack.

"We strongly condemn the criminal actions of the Kyiv regime directed against the civilian population and peaceful infrastructure. They obviously had no military meaning. We call on the international community and organizations to condemn the use of terrorist methods by the Ukrainian authorities," CNN quoted Zakharova as saying in a statement published on the Foreign Ministry website. Earlier on Friday, another explosion was reported much further east in Russia, after an explosive device detonated at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara, State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein said on his Telegram channel.

Khinshtein said that there were no victims or severe damage reported at the site. "An explosion occurred on the territory of the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara today. According to the preliminary version, an explosive device was planted," CNN quoted Khinshtein as saying. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)