Russia says it shot down Ukrainian missile

over southern city with 14 injured

By Uliana Pavlova, CNN

Updated 12:31 PM EDT, Fri July 28, 2023

The site of the blast in the center of Taganrog, Russia, on July 28, 2023.

Vasily Golubev, Governor of the Rostov region/Telegram via Reuters

CNN   — 

Russia said it shot down a Ukrainian missile over the southern Russian city of Taganrog and that
fragments from the blast injured several civilians.

It’s 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.

“The Kyiv regime carried out a terrorist attack with an anti-aircraft missile of the S-200 air
defense system converted into a strike version on the residential infrastructure of the city of
Taganrog, Rostov Region,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

Regional Gov. Vasily Golubev also said on Friday in a Telegram post that there was a rocket
explosion in the middle of the city.

“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 said.

The Russian Ministry of Health later said 14 people had been injured.

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Russian air defense systems intercepted the missile, fragments of which fell on the city and
damaged buildings, the defense ministry said.

Another missile was also downed Friday elsewhere in Rostov, the ministry added.
Ukrainian air defenses in Odesa outgunned as Russia targets global grain supply

The defense ministry also claimed that Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Moscow region
overnight Friday, but said that its air defenses thwarted the attack, which did not cause any
damage or casualties.

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 Kiev 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,” Zakharova said in a statement published on the Foreign Ministry website.

Another explosion was reported Friday much further east in Russia, after an explosive device
detonated at the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara on Friday, State Duma deputy Alexander
Khinshtein said on his Telegram channel.

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There were no victims or severe damage reported at the site, Khinshtein said.

“An explosion occurred on the territory of the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara today.
According to the preliminary version, an explosive device was planted,” he said.