Ukraine: Missile Devastates Military Academy, Hospital

Ukraine: Missile Devastates Military Academy, Hospital \ Newslooks \ Evening Edition\ Mary S \

Quick Read

• Missile Strike: Two ballistic missiles struck the Poltava Military Institute of Communication and a nearby hospital in Ukraine.
• Casualties: The attack resulted in over 50 deaths and more than 200 injuries, making it one of the deadliest strikes since the war began.
• Structural Damage: The missiles caused multiple floors of the academy’s main building to collapse and damaged ten nearby apartment buildings.
• Rescue Operations: Rescue crews saved 25 people, including 11 pulled from the rubble; more victims may still be trapped.
• Community Response: Local residents, including volunteers, rushed to aid in the rescue efforts, with over 150 people donating blood.
• Government Reaction: President Zelenskyy called for an investigation and reiterated the need for expedited Western military aid.
• Regional Impact: The Poltava region governor announced three days of mourning and highlighted the academy’s strategic importance in the ongoing conflict.
• International Context: The attack coincided with President Putin’s visit to Mongolia, where international scrutiny over war crimes remains high.

On Tuesday, Ukraine witnessed one of the most devastating missile attacks since the beginning of the war, as two ballistic missiles struck the Poltava Military Institute of Communication and a nearby hospital, leaving more than 50 people dead and over 200 injured. The missiles hit the heart of the military academy, causing multiple floors of the main building to collapse and triggering widespread panic in the central-eastern town of Poltava.

The attack unfolded with shocking speed. The missiles tore into the military academy’s main structure, a building that serves as a vital hub for training officers in communications, electronics, and drone operations. These skills are crucial in the ongoing conflict, where both sides are fighting to dominate the electronic battlefield. The impact was catastrophic, reducing parts of the building to rubble and trapping many individuals beneath the debris.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the nation in a video posted on his Telegram channel, confirming the tragic loss of life and the ongoing rescue operations. “People found themselves under the rubble. Many were saved,” Zelenskyy said, vowing to hold those responsible accountable and ordering a thorough investigation into the attack. The military institute, which was immediately cordoned off from the public, bore the scars of the assault with shattered bricks and pools of blood visible just outside its gates. Field communication trucks lined the perimeter, and the streets were littered with glass from the shattered windows of nearby apartment buildings.

Eyewitnesses described the horror of the moment. Yevheniy Zemskyy, a local resident who rushed to the scene to offer help, recalled, “I heard explosions … I was at home at that time. When I left the house, I realized that it was something evil and something bad. 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.” The sense of urgency was palpable as volunteers and rescue crews worked tirelessly to save those trapped and treat the wounded.

By the evening, the grim reality had set in: 51 lives had been lost, and 219 people had been injured, according to the general prosecutor’s office. Filip Pronin, the governor of the Poltava region, stated that up to 18 individuals might still be buried under the rubble. The devastation extended beyond the military academy, with ten apartment buildings sustaining damage. The local community responded with an outpouring of support, as more than 150 people donated blood to aid the injured.

Pronin, in a statement on Telegram, called the attack “a great tragedy” for both the region and Ukraine as a whole. He announced three days of mourning to honor the victims, beginning Wednesday. The strike highlighted the strategic importance of the Poltava Military Institute, which plays a critical role in training Ukrainian forces in key areas such as communications and drone operations—skills that are increasingly crucial as the conflict continues to evolve.

The Kremlin remained silent on the attack, offering no immediate comment. It remains unclear whether the casualties were primarily military personnel, such as signal corps cadets, or if civilians were also among the victims. This attack is part of a broader pattern of Russian missile strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, a tactic that has been employed repeatedly since the full-scale invasion began in early 2022. Some of the deadliest attacks in the war’s history include a 2022 airstrike on a theater in Mariupol, which killed hundreds of civilians sheltering in the basement, and a strike that same year on the train station in Kramatorsk, which resulted in 61 deaths.

Poltava, located approximately 350 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Kyiv, lies along a key highway and rail route between the capital and Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, which is near the Russian border. The timing of the attack was particularly troubling, as it occurred just after an air-raid alert had sounded, when many residents were on their way to bomb shelters. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry condemned the strike as “barbaric,” noting that it occurred while Ukrainian forces were engaged in operations in Russia’s Kursk border region following a surprise incursion that began on August 6. Meanwhile, the Russian army continued its advances deeper into eastern Ukraine.

Rescue operations were swift, with crews and medics saving 25 people, including 11 who were pulled from the rubble. The scale of the destruction and the number of casualties underscored the ongoing vulnerability of Ukrainian cities to missile attacks, even as the war drags on.

The missile strike coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Mongolia, a trip that has drawn international scrutiny. There were no indications that Mongolia would comply with demands to arrest Putin on an international warrant for alleged war crimes, a reminder of the complex international dynamics at play in the conflict.

In the wake of the attack, President Zelenskyy reiterated his call for Ukraine’s Western partners to expedite the delivery of military aid. He criticized the United States and European countries for delays in fulfilling their pledges and urged them to ease restrictions on Ukrainian strikes against Russian territory. Zelenskyy emphasized the immediate need for air defense systems and long-range missiles to protect Ukraine from further Russian aggression. “Ukraine needs air defense systems and missiles now, not sitting in storage,” Zelenskyy wrote 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.”

This latest attack serves as a grim reminder of the war’s toll on Ukraine and the ongoing need for international support to defend against Russian military aggression.

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