Evidence Suggests Ukrainian Missile Caused Market Tragedy

Evidence collected and analyzed by The New York Times strongly suggests the catastrophic strike that killed at least 15 civilians in Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine was the result of an errant Ukrainian air defense missile fired by a Buk launch system. The attack appears to have been a tragic mishap. Air defense experts say missiles like the one that hit the market can go off course for a variety of reasons, including an electronic malfunction or a guidance fin that is damaged or sheared off at the time of launch.

The likely missile failure happened amid the back-and-forth battles common in the surrounding area. Russian forces shelled Kostiantynivka the night before; Ukrainian artillery fire from the city was reported in a local Telegram group just minutes before the strike on the market. Read more

@nytimes