Ukraine Rebels Claim Tochka Ballistic Missile Shoot Down.

Ukrainian rebels claim to have shot down an OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21 'Scarab'/9M79) short-range ballistic missile near Luhansk on the night of 1/2 February.

Ukraine Rebels Claim Tochka Ballistic Missile Shoot Down.

The claim, if true, would indicate that anti-Kiev forces have an operational missile defence capability. However, The rebels are unlikely to have downed the missile.

The news does nevertheless appear to confirm that Kiev is using tactical ballistic missiles, possibly armed with submunitions, in its 'anti-terrorism operation' in east Ukraine.

Russian news website/television channel Life News broadcast video footage showing the damaged but intact tail (control) and propulsion section of a Tochka ballistic missile, with its guidance section nearby but no warhead present. The Tochka is known to be in Ukrainian service and has reportedly been used by Kiev as early in the conflict as July 2014.

Ukraine Rebels Claim Tochka Ballistic Missile Shoot Down.

Rebels interviewed by the channel stated that "the missile was intercepted by missile defence troops in Bryanka" before landing near the Alchevsk Metallurgical Plant.

The missile "was flying from the south-west and it can be said that it was Luhansk-bound. Parts of the missile were scattered across the area but they will be collected for international organisations to examine," the rebel added.