Russia claims it has destroyed air defence systems

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said about 25 Ukrainian troops were also hit by the strike on Sunday.

Maj Gen Konashenkov said in a statement on Monday that Ukraine had received the air defence systems from a European country that he did not name. His claim could not be independently verified. Picture: AP Photo

The Russian military says it has destroyed a shipment of air defence missile systems provided to Ukraine by the West.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj Gen Igor Konashenkov said the military used sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles to destroy four S-300 air defence missile launchers on the southern outskirts of the city of Dnipro.

He said about 25 Ukrainian troops were also hit by the strike on Sunday.

Maj Gen Konashenkov said in a statement on Monday that Ukraine had received the air defence systems from a European country that he did not name. His claim could not be independently verified.

Last week, Slovakia said it had handed over its Soviet-designed S-300 air defence systems to Ukraine, which has pleaded with the West to give it more weapons, including long-range air defence systems.

Slovakia denied its system had been destroyed.

The prime minister’s office issued a statement late on Sunday calling the news that the S-300 system given to Ukraine was destroyed “disinformation”.

It was unclear, however, whether both sides are referring to the same airstrike.

The Russians have targeted missile defence systems in three different locations in recent days.