Russia has accused the United States and the United Kingdom of aiding an attack last week on the Russian naval headquarters in Crimea.
The 22 September missile attack was carried out with Western help, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Wednesday. Western reconnaissance data, satellites of NATO states and spy planes were allegedly used, according to Moscow.
“The obvious purpose of such acts of terror is to divert attention from the Ukrainian army’s failed attempts to mount a counter-offensive,” the spokeswoman said. “They want to scare people and create panic in our society.”
In the attack, the Russian headquarters in Sebastopol was badly damaged. Kyiv said 34 officers were killed, but provided no evidence of this. Moscow said one Russian serviceman was missing after the attack.
The attack on the headquarters illustrated the difficulties Russian air defences have countering regular attacks on Crimea. The peninsula, which is a major logistical hub for Russian forces, was annexed by Moscow in 2014.
