The Russian Ministry of Defense accused Kiev of attempting to disguise the destruction of Ukrainian military targets as a strike on a supposed humanitarian mission.

According to the ministry, an Iskander missile system hit a launch site for long-range drones in Chernigov Region, killing up to ten Ukrainian servicemen. Officials said the facility was being used to prepare and deploy unmanned aerial vehicles.

The ministry stressed that Ukrainian authorities sought to portray the strike as an attack on a «civilian demining operation," in order to conceal combat UAV units operating under that cover.

Russian forces have been conducting large-scale strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure since October 10, 2022, two days after the explosion on the Crimean Bridge, which Moscow blames on Ukrainian intelligence services. These strikes have targeted defense industry facilities, command systems, and communications hubs across the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has previously emphasized that the Russian military does not aim attacks at residential housing or social infrastructure.