Ukrainian authorities are investigating whether Russian forces are responsible for a strike that killed more than a dozen civilians in a market earlier this month.

In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 6 strike in Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared, "Russian terrorists have attacked a regular market, shops, and a pharmacy, killing innocent civilians."

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"Anyone in the world who is still dealing with anything Russian simply ignores this reality," he charged. "Heinous evil. Brazen wickedness. Utter inhumanity. My condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one. The Russian evil must be defeated as soon as possible."

But now, there are questions about whether this strike was actually of Russian origin. Evidence from the strike, witness accounts, missile fragments, and social media posts analyzed by the New York Times concluded that this missile was most likely an errant Ukrainian air defense missile.

A spokesperson for the Strategic Communications Department at the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU Stratcom) confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that an investigation is underway.

"In order to clarify the circumstances of the rocket attack on the market in the city of Kostyantynivka, the Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings on September 6, 2023 under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine 'Violation of the Laws and Customs of War,'" the spokesperson said. "Currently, the pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and a number of examinations have been scheduled."

In the aftermath of the attack, Ukrainian officials said Russian forces had used a missile fired from an S-300 air defense system, which they've used both defensively and offensively, but it carries a different warhead than the one that detonated at the market, according to the New York Times. Measurements of the holes in nearby buildings that resulted from the explosion and fragments found at the scene are consistent with the 9M38 missile, which is fired by the mobile Buk anti-aircraft vehicle that is known to use the Buk system.

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Additionally, as the missile was inbound, at least four civilians turned their heads toward the incoming sound, as captured by video, and they faced in the direction of Ukrainian-held territory. The missile, experts believe, was launched at about 2 p.m. from Druzhkivka, which is about 10 miles northwest of Kostiantynivka. The strike that hit the market occurred at 2:04 p.m.

Despite this strike's actual origin, Russia has repeatedly fired missiles and strikes against densely populated civilian areas throughout the war and has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported last week that there have been more than 9,600 civilians killed in the 19 months of war, while more than 17,500 have been injured.