US and Russian Defense Chiefs Discuss Crimea Missile Attack Over Phone Amid Rising Tensions

A phone call took place between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart, Andrei Belousov, on June 25 amidst escalating tensions between the two countries.

The call was at the request of Mr. Austin, two days after a Ukrainian missile strike on Crimea claimed the lives of four Russian civilians.

Russia holds the United States accountable for the tragic incident, as the U.S. supplied Kyiv with the long-range missiles allegedly used in the attack.

In discussions with his Russian counterpart, Mr. Austin highlighted the importance of maintaining communication lines during Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine, as stated by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder.

The Russian defense ministry noted that the two officials exchanged thoughts on the Ukraine situation and discussed various other issues without providing details.

The most recent conversation between Mr. Austin and his Russian counterpart, former Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, took place in March 2023.

Andrei Belousov took over after Mr. Shoigu last month, who had been Russia’s defense chief since 2012.

Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine, now in its third year, has sparked a diplomatic crisis between Moscow and Washington unseen since the Cold War era.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov recently mentioned that formal interactions between the two countries are at an “absolute minimum.”

Russia: ‘No Doubt’ of US Responsibility

Ukraine launched a series of long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) missiles, equipped with cluster munitions, at Crimea on June 23.

The ATACMS missiles, developed and provided by the U.S., have a range of about 185 miles.

According to the Russian defense ministry, air defenses intercepted four missiles, and a fifth exploded over Sevastopol in Crimea.

Tragically, four civilians, including two children, died due to falling missile debris on a Sevastopol beach, with another 150 people sustaining injuries, according to local authorities.

In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry asserted with certainty that the U.S. bore responsibility for the missile attack.

The ministry claimed that U.S. experts had selected the targets using American satellite surveillance data.

It also alleged that a U.S. Global Hawk reconnaissance drone was in operation near Crimea during the attack.

Responding to Russian accusations, a spokesperson from the U.S. State Department informed The Epoch Times that the civilians on the Sevastopol beach were not the intended targets.

He explained that a Russian defense missile intercepted a Ukrainian missile aimed at a military target in Crimea, and the resulting shrapnel injured the civilians on the beach.

The spokesperson added that the beachgoers were caught in the crossfire of the intercept.

Regarding the purported involvement of U.S. specialists in executing the missile strike, the spokesperson clarified that Ukraine independently selects its military targets and makes decisions on what to strike.

On June 24, Moscow called in the U.S. ambassador to express its displeasure, believing that the United States had become indirectly involved in the conflict.

The Russian Foreign Ministry conveyed to the ambassador that such actions by Washington would not be left unanswered.

In response to inquiries about the meeting, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller emphasized that the U.S. provides weapons to Ukraine for defending its sovereignty against aggression, including in Crimea, which is considered part of Ukraine.

Crimea was effectively annexed by Russia in 2014 following a controversial region-wide referendum.

Since then, Moscow considers Crimea part of the Russian Federation.

Ukraine and its Western allies reject the annexation by Russia and have pledged to reclaim all of Crimea through military means.

While Kyiv has refrained from commenting on the recent missile attack on Crimea, it denies targeting civilians in its military actions.

In a social media post on June 24, Andriy Yermak, head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, reiterated Ukraine’s stance that Crimea belongs to Ukraine, calling for Russia to withdraw from the peninsula.

According to Zelenskyy aide Mykhailo Podolyak, Crimea, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is stationed, is a legitimate military target.

He emphasized that Crimea is a foreign territory occupied by Russia, devoid of beaches or tourist areas, and described it as a large military camp with numerous direct military targets.

Reuters contributed to this report.