The committee’s spokeswoman, Svetlana Petrenko, confirmed to the press that a criminal investigation for terrorism has been opened in connection with the incident.

“According to the summary, the terrorist attack was perpetrated with the participation of military personnel from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and other military units, as well as representatives of its highest military and political leadership who acted as a criminal group,” Petrenko said.

At least seven people were killed and 42 wounded in the attack launched Tuesday by the Ukrainian Army with seven Storm Shadow missiles against the Russian city of Bryansk, according to the governor of the province bordering Ukraine, Alexander Bogomaz.

The high-ranking official also reported that 29 patients remain hospitalized in Bryansk, and another nine, in critical and very serious condition, were transferred to medical centers in Moscow.

According to the Investigative Committee, more than 70 vehicles and infrastructure projects, including the facilities of a civilian company, were damaged.

abo/arm/npg/gfa