At least 50 people were killed and more than 270 injured in two ballistic missile attacks on a Russian educational institution and hospital in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava, the biggest attack so far this year.
According to the news agency Reuters, the attack in Poltava, located 300 kilometers from Kiev, is one of the largest attacks by Russia since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a message on the Telegram messaging app that Russia will be held accountable for the attack.
He ordered a full and immediate investigation, saying that the attack damaged the building of the Military Institute of Communication.
Emergency services put the death toll at 50, while other officials say 51 people have died in the attack so far.
Another 15 people may still be buried under the rubble, according to Poltava regional governor Filip Parvin.
Ukraine’s ground forces said military personnel were also killed in the attack, but did not specify how many of the dead were armed forces, but the attack was a major blow to Kiev as it faced a much more powerful enemy. Relying only on strengthening your ranks and defense to stop.
The Foreign Ministry said the use of ballistic missiles meant victims had little time to seek safety after the air raid sirens went off.
The first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelinsky, said in a message on X that it is a terrible tragedy for the whole of Ukraine, that the enemy targeted an educational institution and a hospital.
The Defense Ministry said in a telegram message that one of the institute’s buildings was partially destroyed and many people were trapped under the debris.
He said that thanks to the work of the rescue and medical personnel, 25 people were saved while 11 were pulled out from the wreckage and rescue workers are currently continuing their work.
Russia did not immediately comment on the attack.
Russia has stepped up its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in the two-and-a-half-year-old war.
Last week, Ukraine was hit by its worst bombardment ever, and on Monday, ballistic and cruise missiles struck Kiev, resulting in massive explosions.
Ukraine had also targeted Russia with more than 158 drone strikes by the end of last week, damaging an oil refinery and a power station near Moscow.
Fighting has intensified over the past month as Russian forces advance in eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainian troops launched the first major cross-border attack on Russia, which Russia has vowed to respond to.
Volodymyr Zelensky called for more Western countries to provide more air defenses, urging allies to allow their long-range weapons to be used for strikes inside Russian territory to protect Ukraine.
He said that we are asking everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terrorism that air defense systems and missiles are needed in Ukraine instead of warehouses.
He said that we need long-range strike weapons that can protect us from Russian terrorism, it is urgently needed because delay will unfortunately cost lives every moment.
Defense Ministry spokesman Dmytro Lazutkin told national TV that classes were going on at the institute at the time of the attack. The alarm went off at 9:08 a.m. local time, after which people started running for shelter. .
He said that a few minutes after the air alert, the sounds of explosions were heard and that there was no parade at that time.
This was not the first time that Russia had attacked military installations away from the war front, resulting in massive casualties.
In May 2022, Russia targeted a reserve forces training ground in the Ukrainian town of Desna, killing 87 people.
In March of the same year, 35 people were killed in a Russian attack on a military base in the western part of the country.
