MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Ukrainian nationalists last night fired Tochka-U missiles carrying cluster munitions against residential areas in Melitopol, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the media on Friday.
"In the early hours of March 18, Tochka-U missiles carrying cluster munitions were launched from territories controlled by Kiev’s nationalist regime against residential areas in Melitopol," he said.
Konashenkov stressed that "the Kiev regime’s another attempt to use ballistic missiles against civilians" in a situation where it was pretty clear the Russian army’s positions were absent from the residential areas of Melitopol "confirms the criminal nature of Ukraine’s nationalist leadership."
Konashenkov said Russia’s air defenses upset the missile strike.
"The missile attack was carried out from a southeastern suburb of the city of Zaporozhye, which is totally controlled by Ukraine’s nationalist forces.
"The Russian army identified the site where the Ukrainian ballistic missiles had been launched. To prevent more missile attacks and protect Ukrainian civilians from more strikes by Kiev’s regime the nationalists’ launchers were destroyed with two Iskander missiles," Konashenkov said.
He stressed that Melitopol was living a normal life.
"Shops are open and public transport operates normally. Russian military personnel deliver humanitarian aid to the city every day, which has repeatedly been in the news in the media," Konashenkov added.