WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian missiles kill 50 in strike on Ukrainian military institute

At least 50 people were killed and 271 wounded when Russia hit a military institute in Ukraine's central town of Poltava with two ballistic missiles on Tuesday, the war's deadliest single attack this year.

Photographs posted on social media showed several bodies of young men on the ground covered in dust and debris, with the badly damaged side of a large building behind them. Reuters could not immediately verify the images.

"The Russian scum will definitely be held accountable for this strike," President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.

He ordered a prompt investigation, saying the strike damaged a building of the Military Institute of Communications.

In his nightly video address, delivered later in the evening, Zelenskiy put the death toll at 51.

"It is known that there are people under the rubble of the destroyed building," he said. "Everything is being done to save as many lives as possible."

The emergency service gave a death toll of 50. Poltava Regional Governor Filip Pronin said 15 people may still be under the rubble.

Ukraine's land forces said military personnel had been killed. They did not specify how many of the victims were from the armed forces, but the attack was a major blow to Kyiv as it tries to bolster its ranks to hold off a more powerful enemy.

"The Land Forces Command is conducting an investigation to determine whether enough was done to protect the lives and health of the soldiers at the facility," a statement said.

The use of ballistic missiles - which hit targets hundreds of kilometres away within a few minutes of their launch - meant the victims had little time to find cover after the air raid siren sounded, the foreign ministry said.

"This is a stunning tragedy for all of Ukraine. The enemy hit an educational institution and a hospital," Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, wrote on X.

Some Ukrainians left worried messages on the institute's Facebook page seeking information about their loved ones.

"One of the institute's buildings was partially destroyed, and many people were trapped under the rubble," the defence ministry said on Telegram.

"Thanks to the coordinated work of rescuers and medics, 25 people were rescued, 11 of whom were taken from the rubble. The rescuers are currently continuing their work."

Russia did not immediately comment on the attack.

INCREASE IN MISSILE STRIKES

Russia has intensified its missile and drone attacks on Ukraine 2-1/2 years into the full-scale war.

Last week Ukraine was pummelled with the heaviest bombardment to date, and on Monday ballistic and cruise missiles targeted Kyiv causing loud explosions.

Ukraine targeted Russia with more than 158 drones during the weekend, damaging an oil refinery near Moscow and a power station.

Fighting has intensified over the past month, with Russian forces advancing in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv's troops have mounted their first large-scale cross-border assault into Russia. Moscow has vowed to retaliate for the incursion into the Kursk region.

Zelenskiy repeated calls for more Western air defences and urged allies to allow their long-range weapons to be used for strikes deeper into Russian territory.

"We keep telling everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terror: Air defence systems and missiles are needed in Ukraine, not in a warehouse somewhere.

"Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not some time later. Unfortunately, every day of delay means loss of life."

In Poltava, some 300 km (186 miles) southeast of Kyiv and 120 km (75 miles) to the nearest Russian border, Governor Pronin said about 150 residents had donated blood for the wounded.

Defence Ministry spokesman Dmytro Lazutkin told national TV that classes at the institute were underway at the time of the attack. He said the alarm sounded at 09:08 local time (0608 GMT) prompting people to rush to the shelter.

"A few minutes after the air alert, explosions sounded," he said, adding that there were no parades going on at the time.

It was not the first time Russia has struck military facilities away from the frontlines, causing mass casualties. Russia said in May 2022 that it hit a training ground for reserve forces in the town of Desna where Ukraine said 87 people were killed. In March that year, 35 people died in a Russian strike on a military base in the country's west.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces shoot down Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, 37 drones in past day

Russian forces shot down an MiG-29 fighter jet of the Ukrainian Air Force and 37 unmanned aerial vehicles in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said in its bulletin.

Here are the details of the combat actions that took place over the past day, according to the bulletin.

Battlegroup North

Units of Battlegroup North delivered strikes on the forces of the 36th Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces and the 103rd and 114th territorial defense brigades near Liptsy, Dergachi and Volchansk in the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian army lost over 150 troops, a tank, an armored combat vehicle, three motor vehicles and a Grad multiple rocket launcher.

Battlegroup South

Units of Battlegroup South continued advancing deeper into enemy defenses, inflicting losses on Ukraine’s 24th, 32nd, 100th, 117th mechanized, 46th airmobile, and 10th assault brigades and 116th Territorial Defense Brigade. The Ukrainian army lost up to 710 troops, six motor vehicles, a US-made Paladin 155 mm self-propelled artillery piece, a US-made M777 155-mm howitzer, an Akatsiya 152-mm self-propelled artillery piece and a D-30 122-mm howitzer. Five field ammunition depots and an Anklav-N electronic warfare system were also eliminated.

Battlegroup Center

Battlegroup Center hit the troops and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 31st and 53rd mechanized, 142nd infantry, 95th air assault and 109th territorial defense brigades near Druzhba, Panteleimonovka, Rozovka, Selidovo, Grodovka and Zavetnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled seven counterattacks by assault teams of the 59th motorized infantry, 144th infantry, 25th airborne, 12th and 14th National Guard brigades. The Ukrainian army lost up to 490 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, three pickup trucks, a US-manufactured M109 Paladin 155mm self-propelled artillery system and a D-30 152mm howitzer.

Battlegroup East

Battlegroup East moved to more advantageous positions, defeating the forces of the 31st and 72nd mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces and the 129th Territorial Defense Brigade near Bogatyr, Vodyanoye and Ugledar of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Russian servicemen repelled three counterattacks by the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy lost three motor vehicles and two Polish-made Krab 155 mm howitzers.

Battlegroup West

Units of Battlegroup West repelled an attack by the 30th Mechanized Brigade. The enemy lost up to 450 troops, two motor vehicles, a Polish-made Krab 155 mm howitzer, a UK-made FH-70 155 mm howitzer, and two D-20 152 mm howitzers. Nine field ammunition depots were destroyed.

Battlegroup Dnepr

Units of Battlegroup Dnerp hit the troops and equipment of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and the 141st Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces, the 37th Marine Brigade and the 39th Coast Guard Brigade near Novodanilovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Berislav, Tokarevka and Kazatskoye in the Kherson Region. The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 60 troops, two motor vehicles and a Msta-B 152 mm howitzer.

Air Force and air defenses

Russian air defenses shot down an MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, three US-made HIMARS rockets and 37 unmanned aerial vehicles.

Russian strategic aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile units and artillery forces eliminated an aviation munitions depot and delivered strikes on enemy troops and military hardware in 149 areas.

Tally of destroyed equipment

A total of 642 planes, 283 helicopters, 30,987 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 missile systems, 17,811 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,435 multiple rocket launchers and 13,985 field artillery mounts and mortars, as well as 25,539 special military motor vehicles, have been destroyed since the start of Russia’s special military operation.

Reuters/Tass