Bulk of Russian attack on Chernihiv primarily targeted people nearby rather than city's theatre
Yurii Bielousov, Chief of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Department for Combating Crimes Committed during Armed Conflicts, has said the investigation revealed that the primary force of the Russian attack on Chernihiv on 19 August primarily targeted people nearby Chernihiv Music and Drama Theatre.
Source: Bielousov during the national joint 24/7 newscast
Quote from Bielousov: "Russia used an Iskander-M missile. And this missile has several configurations. The missile was set up to explode in the air.
This adjustment maximises the impact on the living targets in the open.
The drama theatre was, of course, affected as well, but there is an assumption that the main force of the explosion was directed at the people nearby," added the head of the Department.
Details: Bielousov said the investigation is ongoing following two main lines of enquiry.
The first important step is to identify those who made the decision to launch the attack and those who executed it.
The identification of the Russian Federation Armed Forces commanders who ordered the strike and the specific military unit that fired the missile is underway.
All the circumstances surrounding the organisation of the gathering are also being studied.
The line of enquiry of the attack being adjusted by Russian agents on the territory of Ukraine is also under consideration.
Background:
- At about 11:30 on 19 August, the Russians struck the centre of the city of Chernihiv with a ballistic missile.
- The Russian attack killed 7 people and injured 148.
- Russian forces launched a missile attack on the Chernihiv Music and Drama Theatre when a gathering of drone manufacturers and aerial reconnaissance training schools was being held there as part of the Liuti Ptashky (Angry Birds) demo day, although only the event’s participants knew the exact location.
- Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency RIA Novosti stated that the Russian invaders had targeted a "gathering of Ukraine’s Armed Forces military specialists in combat drones" in Chernihiv.
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