A Russian attack on a military educational facility in central Ukraine has resulted in 51 deaths and over 200 injuries, according to Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office. This incident, one of the deadliest since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, involved two ballistic missiles hitting the facility and a nearby hospital in Poltava.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the assault occurred early Tuesday morning and emphasized the urgent need for air defense systems and missiles in Ukraine. Filip Pronin, head of the Poltava region military administration, confirmed the casualties and mentioned ongoing rescue efforts, with up to 18 more people possibly trapped under debris.
Read more: Ukraine Issues New Air Alerts Following Massive Russian Attack
The attack also damaged at least 10 residential buildings in Poltava. While Moscow has not yet commented, Russian military blogger Vladimir Rogov noted the strike on a military school. Zelensky renewed his appeal for more air defense support from Ukraine’s Western allies and urged the removal of restrictions on using long-range weapons against targets in Russia, stressing that delays contribute to further loss of life.
‘We will never forget this’
In an interview with News Channel Christiane Amanpour in Kyiv, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that the missile struck its target rapidly, hitting people who were attempting to seek refuge in a bomb shelter.
Kuleba, who hails from the Poltava region, explained that only advanced air defense systems like the Patriot or SAMP/T could have intercepted the ballistic missiles.
Ukraine has received only a limited number of Patriot air defense systems from the U.S. and Germany, and Kyiv has consistently stated that this is inadequate for effective defense. While the Biden administration prioritized supplying critical air defense capabilities to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba emphasized that the delivery of new weapons is urgently needed.
Kuleba expressed frustration, questioning how many more tragedies must occur before all promised aid is delivered and new commitments are made. On Tuesday, local authorities in Poltava declared three days of mourning, calling it a “terrible day” and citing “security issues” for withholding further details about the attack.
Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska condemned the attack as a “terrible tragedy for the whole of Ukraine” and expressed condolences to the victims’ families, highlighting the loss of life caused by the strike. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also condemned the Russian assault, describing it as a “sickening act of aggression” and reaffirming support for Ukraine.
