Russia has said its forces have destroyed S-300 anti-air defense systems which were recently transferred to Ukraine by a European state. This after long ago warning that any external weapons shipments to Kiev would be deemed a "legitimate target" and that external backers providing the shipments would be held responsible.
"Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday Russian Kalibr missiles destroyed on Sunday four S-300 launchers concealed in a hangar on the outskirts of the central-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro, hitting 25 Ukrainian soldiers in the attack," Al Jazeera writes, citing Russian state sources.
The Russian statement didn't specify the outside European country from which the S-300 system originated, but within the past days it was widely reported that Slovakia was donating S-300 missiles to Ukraine. The White House had followed by announcing it would be replacing Slovakia's supplies with Patriot missiles.
There's also the possibility that Ukraine had received anti-air systems from other countries possessing S-300s, albeit without any public announcement. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately comment on whether the Russian statements are accurate, but later issued denials of the Russian claims alongside its backer Slovakia.
According to further details by USA Today:
About two dozen Ukrainian troops were also hit by the strike, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement Monday. The statement said Ukraine had received the technology from an unnamed European country. Konashenkov’s claim couldn’t be independently verified.
Slovakia has since called the Russian claims a "hoax" and part...