One day after a Ukrainian missile attack left four dead and about 150 injured, authorities in Sevastopol, a port city on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, have declared a state of emergency.
Russian news agencies published a decree issued by Governor Mikhail Razvoshayev on Monday that read: "I decree ... to declare a state of emergency on the territory of the city of Sevastopol until further order."
Four people were killed and 151 injured in the attack, Razvoshayev said, with 79 people still hospitalized.
Due to the severity of their injuries, 21 people, including 11 children, are to be airlifted to Moscow for treatment, officials said.
Most of the victims were sunbathing on a city beach in Sevastopol when rocket debris fell and exploded, with no air raid warning preceding the incident.
Initially, the Russian military claimed responsibility for launching the missile but later retracted this statement, asserting that the Ukrainian missile had targeted civilians.
This has been met with scepticism, even among Russian military bloggers, as there are several military installations in the vicinity.
In response to the incident, the affected beach area has been closed for swimming. The state of emergency may restrict certain constitutional rights, such as freedom of movement, to ensure public safety.
The main harbour of Russia's Black Sea fleet and the Belbek military airfield are both located in the Sevastopol city area.
Russia's military use of the port and air base in its war against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for more than two years. The area has become a target of attacks from the Ukrainian military.