The Ukrainian non-governmental organization Truth Hounds, which investigates and documents war crimes, analyzed the Russian missile attack on the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, on June 27, 2023. Investigators have previously established the type of missile, the approximate location of the launch and the likely brigade responsible for it.
Yes, the attack was by Iskander-K ballistic missiles, not Iskander-M, as the investigation indicated. All interviewed witnesses assured: the sound of the rocket engine resembled the sound of a jet plane, which is a characteristic feature of "Iskander-K".
Also, "Iskanders" have a different angle of approach to the target. "Iskander-M" flies at an angle of 90° vertically, and the approach angle of "Iskander-K" is close to 45°. Accordingly, the tear from an "Iskander" blow will be oval, not round. It was the oval hole from the rocket in Bilenke. Also, the examined remains and details (in particular, the shanks) of the rocket were characteristic of the Iskander-K.
As for the launch site, the investigators determined that the missiles could not have been launched from an area closer than 100 kilometers southeast of Kramatorsk and Bilenke, as this would have meant that the Iskanders had been brought to critical points where they could become an easy target for Ukrainian forces. Therefore, writes Truth Hounds, a much safer option for the Russian troops is the use of "Iskanders" specifically from the territory of Russia.
Probably, the 47th missile brigade of the 8th army of the Russian Federation is responsible for this attack. It is temporarily stationed in the Rostov region. This is the only missile brigade operating in the Donetsk direction. On satellite images from the next day, investigators recorded two installations and transport installations. Colonel Vitaly Veniaminovych Bobir, commander of the missile brigade, is responsible for the attack.
- On June 27, 2023, Russia struck the center of Kramatorsk. 13 people died, and more than 60 were injured. Among the dead are Truth Hounds documentarian and writer Victoria Amelina. According to the SBU, an agent of the Russian special services, an employee of a local gas transportation company, told the Russians that there were many visitors in the central cafe. He is already in the pre-trial detention center, he faces a life sentence.