Missiles strike Ukraine military academy, over 50 dead

Two ballistic missiles struck a military academy and a nearby hospital in Ukraine on Tuesday, resulting in over 50 deaths and more than 200 injuries, as reported by Ukrainian officials.

The missiles hit the main building of the Poltava Military Institute of Communication, causing floors to collapse. Smoke and news of the catastrophic strike quickly spread through the central-eastern town.

“People found themselves under the rubble. Many were saved,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a video on his Telegram channel, announcing an investigation.

Inside the closed gates of the institution, shattered bricks were visible, and small pools of blood could be seen outside hours later. Field communications trucks were stationed around the perimeter, and roads were littered with glass from broken apartment windows.

“I heard explosions … I was at home at that time. When I left the house, I realised that it was something evil and something bad,” said Yevheniy Zemskyy, who volunteered to help. “I was worried about the children, the residents of Poltava. That’s why we are here today to help our city in any way we can.”

By Tuesday evening, the death toll reached 51, according to the general prosecutor’s office. Filip Pronin, the governor of the Poltava region, announced on Telegram that 219 people were injured. He noted that up to 18 individuals might still be buried under the rubble. Ten apartment buildings were damaged, and over 150 people donated blood in response to the tragedy. Pronin declared three days of mourning starting Wednesday.

The academy trains officers in communications, electronics, and drone operations, crucial skills in the ongoing conflict. “The enemy certainly must answer for all (its) crimes against humanity,” Pronin wrote on Telegram.

The Kremlin did not immediately comment on the strike. It remained unclear if the casualties included civilians or were limited to Ukrainian military personnel, such as signal corps cadets.

Since the full-scale invasion began in early 2022, the Russian military has frequently targeted civilian areas with missiles, sometimes causing mass casualties. Notable attacks include a 2022 airstrike on a Mariupol theatre, killing hundreds of civilians, and a strike on the Kramatorsk train station, resulting in 61 deaths. Other targets have included apartment buildings, markets, and shopping centres.

Poltava is situated about 350 kilometres southeast of Kyiv, on the main highway and rail route between Kyiv and Kharkiv, close to the Russian border. The attack occurred as Ukrainian forces tried to secure positions in Russia’s Kursk border region following an incursion that began on August 6, while the Russian army advanced further into eastern Ukraine.

The missiles hit shortly after an air-raid alert, as many people headed to bomb shelters, according to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, which described the strike as “barbaric.” Rescue teams and medics saved 25 people, including 11 pulled from the rubble, as per a Defense Ministry statement.

The attack coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Mongolia. There was no indication that his hosts would consider arresting him on an international warrant for alleged war crimes.

Zelenskyy reiterated his plea for Western allies to expedite military aid delivery. He has previously criticised the U.S. and European nations for delaying their promised support. He also urged them to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s ability to target Russian soil with provided weapons, fearing that such actions could escalate the conflict.

“Ukraine needs air defense systems and missiles now, not sitting in storage,” Zelenskyy posted in English on Telegram. “Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not later. Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lost lives,” he said.