A Russian missile strike on the merchant vessel MV Aya on September 11 is believed to have been a mistake, according to British officials.
The ship, carrying 26,000 tons of grain from Odesa to Egypt, was hit by an AS-4 Kitchen anti-ship missile launched by a Tu-22 Tupolev bomber. However, British military intelligence suggested that the civilian bulk carrier was likely not the intended target.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 03 October 2024.
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The officials pointed to poor targeting procedures by Russian pilots and the use of aging munitions as the probable cause of the error. The missile’s failure to detonate also helped avoid a potentially catastrophic outcome.
