Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local Syrian sources: The village of Al-Thala in the western countryside of Sweida was subjected to mortar shelling, with explosions heard in the area.
Occupied Palestine: Very violent Israeli raids target Tal al-Zaatar in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip.
Occupied Palestine: 15 martyrs were recovered as a result of the ongoing Israeli raids on the city of Beit Lahia and the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine: More than 300 martyrs and 500 wounded in three days of ongoing Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip.
Occupied Palestine: The occupation aims to ethnically cleanse the Sultan area near the Zikim settlement.
Occupied Palestine: The IOF is besieging a school housing displaced persons in the Al-Sultan area, north of the Gaza Strip.
Occupied Palestine: Dozens of martyrs and wounded, mostly children and women, in Israeli raids on the northern Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in occupied Palestine: The Israeli occupation is committing genocide in Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip.
Occupied Palestine: The Indonesian hospital is filled with martyrs and wounded after the IOF bombed homes in northern Gaza.
Occupied Palestine: IOF aircraft targeted a tent on Al-Madrasa Street in the Al-Mashrou area, west of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip

Massacre pinned on Russia committed by Ukraine Air Force: NYT

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The New York Times
  • 19 Sep 2023 14:46
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

A New York Times report suggests that the missile strike against Kostiantynivka was due to an unintentional launch of a Ukrainian air defense missile from a Buk launch system.

  • x
  • People clear the rubble of a destroyed market after the missile strike in the city center of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 (AP)
    People clear the rubble of a destroyed market after the missile strike in the city center of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 (AP)

A recent investigative report published by The New York Times suggested that the missile strike on Kostiantynivka earlier, which was pinned on Russia, is in fact a mishap by the Ukrainian air defenses.

The missile strike on Kostiantynivka, on September 6, killed at least 15 civilians and injured tens.

Based on investigated evidence from missile fragments, satellite imagery, testimonies from witnesses, and social media posts, the report suggested that the devastating attack likely occurred due to an unintentional launch of a Ukrainian air defense missile from a Buk launch system.

According to consulted air defense experts, the incident appears to be an accident in which a missile deviated from its intended path due to electronic malfunctions or damage to the guidance fin during launch.

Read more: US might be punishing Turkey for its position on Ukraine, Russia: RS

Initially, Ukrainian authorities attempted to block The New York Times' journalists from reaching the missile debris and impact site shortly after the strike, but eventually, the reporters managed to reach the location, conduct witness interviews, and gather remnants of the used weapon.

Collected Evidence

Security camera footage indicated that the missile entered Kostiantynivka from the direction of Ukrainian-controlled territory, not from behind Russian lines.

In the footage, as the approaching missile's sound is heard, at least four pedestrians simultaneously turn their heads toward the source of the sound, facing the camera, which is in the direction of Ukrainian-held territory.

Read more: One of Ukraine's top US backers makes U-turn on Kiev

Related News

US ready to negotiate with Pyongyang: Pentagon

Russia develops new guided missile for drones

Just before impact, the missile's reflection can be seen as it passes over two parked cars, clearly demonstrating its path from the northwest. An explosives expert and analysis by The New York Times suggested that the resulting crater and damage pattern, extending from the point of detonation, align with the missile coming from the northwest.

The evidence further indicated that minutes before the strike, the Ukrainian military launched two surface-to-air missiles from the town of Druzhkivka, located 10 miles northwest of Kostiantynivka, toward the Russian front line.

Reporters from The New York Times happened to be present in Druzhkivka and observed the launch of the first missile at 2 p.m., followed shortly by a second missile launch.

These launch times align with the timing of the missile that struck the Kostiantynivka market, occurring around 2:04 p.m. 

The Missile 

Kiev had alleged that the Kostiantynivka missile strike was fired from a Russian S300air defense system.

NYT investigations, however, show that the S-300 missile carries a different warhead from the one that exploded in Kostiantynivka.

Read more: Ukraine’s economy in 'catastrophic state': Former PM 

The buildings nearest to the explosion exhibited numerous square or rectangular holes on their metal facades, likely resulting from cube-shaped objects expelled outward by the missile.

The dimensions of these holes, as well as the fragments discovered at the scene, correspond consistently with a specific type of weapon: the 9M38 missile, which is launched from the mobile Buk anti-aircraft vehicle.

These openings vary in size, with some measuring less than 10 millimeters in width, while others are slightly larger. Correspondingly, the 9M38 missile is equipped with two distinct sizes of solid-metal cubic fragments, measuring eight millimeters and 13 millimeters in diameter, respectively.

Two military bomb-disposal specialists, who opted for anonymity, reached the same conclusion, affirming that the fragments and the damage observed at the site of the strike are most compatible with a 9M38 missile.

Numerous witnesses reported either hearing or witnessing Ukrainian forces launching surface-to-air missiles from Druzhkivka towards Kostiantynivka at the moment of the market strike.

  • Missile
  • Russia
  • Kiev
  • Ukraine
  • Ukraine war
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

A boy draped in a Palestinian flag carries a mock rocket during a weekly anti-US and anti-Israeli rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, May 9, 2025 (AP)

Yemen announces hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion Airport

  • Politics
  • 9 May 2025
Palestinians pray over bodies of people killed in the Israeli bombardment who were brought from the Shifa hospital before burying them in a mass grave in the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (AP )

Gaza casualty figures mask a much bigger horror, new study shows

  • Politics
  • 11 May 2025
President Donald Trump, left, greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US pressures 'Israel' for Gaza deal; Witkoff's Israeli rebuke leaked

  • US & Canada
  • 9 May 2025
Two F-35 jets arrive at it's new operational base Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. (AP)

F-35 near-misses over Yemen signal new risks for 'Israel': Forbes

  • Politics
  • 14 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, listens during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli, Syrian officials met secretly in Baku

Israeli settlers lay on the ground as sirens sound amid the detection of a Yemeni missile, May 15, 2025 (Social media)
Politics

Yemeni missile halts Ben Gurion airport activity: Israeli media

500,000 Syrian refugees return since regime change
Politics

500,000 Syrian refugees return since regime change

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, speaks with his Emirati counterpart Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan during their meeting, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, May 12, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran’s Araghchi: West chose talks after failing militarily

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS