An investigation conducted by the New York Times revealed that the rocket that destroyed a market in the city of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk Republic in eastern Ukraine and killed 15 people was launched by Ukrainian forces and not the Russian army.
The New York Times reported that this strike that occurred on September 6 was one of the bloodiest attacks in months, as it killed at least 15 civilians and injured more than 30 others.
Less than two hours later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of this attack, and many media outlets followed by.
The New York Times stated that the evidence it collected and analyzed, including missile fragments, satellite images, witness accounts and social media posts, strongly indicates that the catastrophic strike was carried out with a Ukrainian air defense missile launched from a Soviet Buk air defense vehicle and was a tragic accident.
The Ukrainian authorities initially tried to prevent New York Times journalists from accessing the rocket debris and the impact area in the immediate aftermath of the strike.
However, the journalists were eventually able to reach the scene, interview witnesses, and collect the remains.
The New York Times added that security camera footage shows that the missile was launched towards Konstantinovka from territory still controlled by Ukraine, and not from the Russian side.
As the sound of the approaching rocket was heard, at least four bystanders appeared to simultaneously turn their heads toward the incoming sound and look in the direction of Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Moments before the strike, the rocket’s reflection appears on the roofs of two parked cars, showing that it’s heading from the northwest, coming from areas still under Kiev’s control.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian forces said that the country’s security service was investigating the incident and he couldn’t give any further comment.
