Belarus protests to Ukraine after downing stray air defence missile - Reuters

Dec 29 (Reuters) - Belarus protested to Ukraine's ambassador connected Thursday aft saying it had downed a Ukrainian S-300 aerial defence rocket successful a field, during 1 of Russia's heaviest aerial onslaughts against Ukraine since the commencement of the war.

The subject commissar of the Brest region, Oleg Konovalov, played the incidental down successful a video posted connected societal media by the state-run BelTA quality agency, saying locals had "absolutely thing to interest about. Unfortunately, these things happen".

He compared the incidental to 1 successful November, erstwhile an S-300 believed to person strayed aft being fired by Ukrainian aerial defences landed connected the territory of NATO-member Poland, triggering fears of an escalation that were rapidly defused.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainian ambassador was summoned to the overseas ministry successful Minsk to person a ceremonial protest.

"The Belarussian broadside views this incidental arsenic highly serious," spokesperson Anatoly Glaz said.

"We demanded that the Ukrainian broadside behaviour a thorough investigation, ... clasp those liable to relationship and instrumentality broad measures to forestall the recurrence of specified incidents successful the future."

A Ukrainian subject spokesperson successful effect acknowledged that the rocket was a Ukrainian stray, saying the incidental was "nothing strange, a effect of aerial defence" and thing that "has happened much than once".

The S-300 is simply a Soviet-era aerial defence strategy utilized by some Russia and Ukraine.

Belarus said the rocket had travel down adjacent the colony of Harbacha successful the Brest region, immoderate 15 kms (9 miles) from the borderline with Ukraine, astatine astir 10 a.m. (0700 GMT).

"Fragments were recovered successful an cultivation tract ... the wreckage belongs to an S-300 anti-aircraft guided rocket fired from the territory of Ukraine," the defence ministry said.

The incidental occurred arsenic Russia was launching its latest question of rocket attacks connected cities crossed Ukraine.

BelTA published photos and video of what it said were parts of an S-300 rocket lying successful an bare field.

Belarus allowed Moscow to usage its territory successful February arsenic a launchpad for the penetration of Ukraine, and determination has been a increasing flurry of Russian and Belarusian military activity successful Belarus successful caller months.

Minsk has, however, insisted that it is not participating successful the war, and volition not enactment unless its ain information is threatened by Ukraine oregon Ukraine's Western allies.

While Kyiv has utilized the S-300 strategy to intercept incoming Russian missiles, Russia has appeared to usage repurposed S-300 missiles to onslaught crushed targets.

Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Jake Cordell; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Emelia Sithole-Matarise

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.