Ukrainians Rework S-200 Anti-Aircraft Missiles to Strike Russian Ground Targets: Russia MoD

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has alleged that the Ukrainians converted S-200 anti-aircraft missiles to strike targets in Crimea, Rostov and Kaluga regions.

“The (S-200) missiles were converted to strike variant,” the MoD said.

Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces, announced the attempted missile attack during a report to Army General Valery Gerasimov, Commander of the Joint Group of Forces. Gerasimov instructed his troops to take additional measures to increase the protection of facilities from air strikes as soon as possible.

Ukraine launched a highly-anticipated counteroffensive after stockpiling Western weapons and building up its offensive forces last month. It says it recaptured 14 square kilometres from Russian forces in the south and east of the country over the last week.

A video showing the modified missile is being circulated on social media. It depicts the alleged strikes on Crimean Bridge and on Russian military objects in Rostov Oblast and Bryansk Oblast.

The footage was quickly analyzed by military analysts who later claimed that the modified S-200 rocket follows a ballistic trajectory, which is why such rockets have a range of up to 400 km.