Strike on Okhmatdyt: Russians blame Ukrainian air defense, while SBU finds new evidence of Kh-101 missile attack

New evidence of Russian involvement was released by the SBU press service.

Law enforcement officials claim that at the site of the strike, investigators found the following:

• a fragment of the Kh-101 missile wing deployment mechanism;
• a fragment of the jamming unit of the Kh-101 missile;
• the middle part of the body of the Kh-101 cruise missile (pictured under the rubble);
• a tail section fairing and a fragment of the Kh-101 cruise missile's hydraulic unit;
• fragments of the Kh-101 cruise missile engine cowling with the inventory (inside) and serial numbers.

In addition, the following facts provide evidence that it was a targeted attack on the hospital by Russians:

• the nature of the destruction of the building is characteristic of an Kh-101 warhead, which weighs 400 kg;
• the proportions, shape and size of the missile, which is captured in the publicly available videos, fully correspond to the Kh-101 missile, and, conversely, are not typical of missiles from anti-aircraft missile systems;
• the missile's flight path fully corresponds to the characteristics of the Kh-101 (climb, or “slide”, before attacking the target, and attack at an angle of approximately 60 degrees);
• the strike on the Okhmatdyt hospital with an Kh-101 missile was detected by radars.

And what do the Russians say?

Russian propagandists and some officials blame Ukraine for the destruction of the Okhmatdyt hospital, claiming that a missile from a NASAMS or Patriot anti-aircraft missile system allegedly hit the facility.

This version is published, in particular, by the Telegram channel “War against Fakes”. They claim that the missile captured on the video fully corresponds to the size of a missile from an air defense system. Also, the video allegedly does not show the whistle of the missile and the sound of the engine, which is typical for the Kh-101.

The Russian Defense Ministry also stated that it was a military facility that was hit, and that the reports of a hospital being hit were not true. They believe that numerous published photos and video footage confirm the destruction caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile launched from an anti-aircraft missile system within the city.

They also called the strike on Okhmatdyt a provocation to “ensure further funding for the Kyiv regime and the continuation of the war to the last Ukrainian”.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the shelling of the hospital was allegedly caused by an “anti-missile”. He also reiterated that Russians do not hit civilian targets.

At the same time, pro-Russian American political commentator and TV host Jackson Hinkle also accused Ukraine of “shelling itself”.

Strike at Okhmatdyt

On the morning of July 8, Russian troops launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine. The defense forces shot down 30 of the occupiers' 38 missiles.

In particular, the Russians hit the Okhmatdyt children's hospital. Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said that the Russian attack hit the toxicology building, where children were receiving dialysis.

Two people died and 50 others were wounded as a result of the strike on the medical facility. Two adults also died in Okhmatdyt. Immediately after the strike, people came to the hospital to help clear the rubble, bring water and food. Ukrzaliznytsia said that it would, together with the Kyiv railway station, shelter and transport all the patients who arrived at the hospital.