The New York Times reports a deadly September 6 strike on a crowded marketplace in eastern Ukraine was the result of an errant Ukrainian air defense missile — and not a Russian attack, as was widely first reported. The Times cited evidence, including missile fragments, satellite imagery, witness accounts and social media posts, that strongly suggests the catastrophic strike was the result of a Ukrainian radar-guided surface-to-air missile that went astray. At least 15 civilians died; 30 more were injured.
Meanwhile, China’s foreign minister has begun a four-day trip to Russia. The visit by top diplomat Wang Yi to Moscow comes after he met with White House officials in Malta over the weekend. On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with China’s vice president on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly ahead of a possible high-level U.S.-China summit later this fall.