Kyiv, Ukraine: Russian missile strikes targeted a Ukrainian military institute in the central town of Poltava, killing at least 51 people. The attack, which occurred early in the morning, is one of the deadliest single assaults since the war began, intensifying fears of further violence in the region.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed the strike, stating that a series of precision-guided missiles hit the Sumy Military Institute of Communications, a key training facility for the Ukrainian armed forces. The institute was reportedly housing military personnel and students at the time of the attack. Emergency services were immediately deployed to the scene, but the scale of the destruction complicated rescue efforts, with many feared trapped under the rubble.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the attack, declaring on the Telegram messaging app, “The Russian scum will definitely be held accountable for this strike.” He ordered a prompt investigation into the attack and confirmed that the building housing the Military Institute of Communications was severely damaged.
In his video address, Zelenskiy updated the death toll to 51, expressing his grief and outrage. . “This brutal assault on our military and future officers will not break our resolve. Ukraine will continue to defend its sovereignty and its people,” he added.
“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 posted concerned messages on the institute’s Facebook page, searching for 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.
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