CNN reveals details of the deadliest Russian attack on Ukraine since the start of the war

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In a Russian attack targeting a military educational facility in central Ukraine, 49 people were killed and at least 219 others were injured, according to statements from a Ukrainian regional military official.

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This strike is one of the deadliest individual attacks since the war with Russia began in February 2022, as reported by the American network CNN.

Russian attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that preliminary information indicated that two ballistic missiles had targeted the facility in the city of Poltava and a nearby hospital early Tuesday morning.

In a statement, Zelensky reiterated: “We are once again calling on everyone in the world with the power to stop this terrorism: we need air defense systems and missiles in Ukraine, not elsewhere or in storage.”

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Philipp Brunine, head of the military administration of the Poltava region, announced via the Telegram app that the death toll had risen, adding that rescue teams continued search and debris removal operations.

Brunine added that authorities believed up to 18 other people might still be trapped under the rubble, noting that at least 10 residential buildings had been damaged in the attack.

While Moscow made no official comment on the attack, known Russian military blogger Vladimir Rogov claimed that Russia had targeted a military school in Poltava earlier in the day.

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Ukrainian appeals

Speaking about the attack, President Zelensky reiterated his plea to Ukraine’s Western allies to supply Kyiv with more air defense systems and to lift restrictions on the use of Ukrainian military weapons to strike sites within Russia.

He said: “We need long-range strikes to protect us from Russian terrorism now, not later. Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more people will die.”

In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that the missile hit the target in a very short time and that people were injured while trying to enter a shelter.

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He added: “The only way to intercept that missile is to have a ballistic missile.”

Kuleba stressed that the Poltava region needed the Patriot system or the SAMP/T air defense system as they are the only ones capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

He explained that Ukraine had received a few Patriot air defense systems from the U.S. and Germany, but that they were still insufficient for effective defense.

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The Biden administration said in June that it was prioritizing the enhancement of Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to ensure its survival, but Kuleba emphasized that these weapons were not arriving fast enough. He echoed Zelensky‘s calls for more defense systems, saying: “I don’t know how many more tragedies need to happen before all promises and commitments are fulfilled.”

Local authorities in Poltava declared Tuesday a “terrible day” and announced a three-day mourning period. No additional details about the attack were revealed due to “security reasons.”