A Russian attack on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava has killed 41 people and injured more than 180, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported Tuesday, saying it hit an educational institution and a nearby medical center, partially destroying the city’s Military Telecommunications Institute building.
The attack appears to be one of the deadliest by Russian forces since the start of their invasion of Ukraine, according to the Associated Press. Rescue teams are working in the area, authorities said.
“I have received preliminary reports about the Russian attack on Poltava. According to the information currently available, these are two ballistic missiles. They hit the territory of a university center and a nearby hospital. One of the buildings of the Institute of Telecommunications was partially destroyed. There were people trapped under the rubble. Many were rescued,” Zelensky said in a message on Telegram. “More than 180 people were injured. Unfortunately, many died. So far, 41 people are reported to have been killed. My condolences to all the families and friends.”
The BBC cites unconfirmed reports from Russian Telegram channels that the victims were cadets.
According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the ballistic missiles fell on the impact site almost immediately after the air raid alarms were triggered, so the people there did not have time to take refuge in the basements or in the air raid bunkers. “The time interval between the alarm and the arrival of the deadly missiles was so short that it caught people by surprise during the evacuation to the bomb shelter,” it said in a Telegram message.
According to the ministry, one of the institute’s buildings was partially destroyed and many people were trapped under the rubble, and 25 people were rescued, including 11 who were trapped under the rubble.
Zelensky said he had ordered “a full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened.” “All necessary services are involved in the rescue operation. I thank each and every person who has contributed to saving lives since the first minutes after the accident,” he said.
