President Zelensky reported that more than 40 people were killed in the Russian attack on Poltava, which targeted a military educational facility.
“More than 180 people were injured. Unfortunately, many have died. As of now, 41 fatalities have been confirmed,” Zelensky stated, noting that two ballistic missiles “hit the grounds of an educational institution and an adjacent hospital.”
The strike partially destroyed one of the institution’s buildings, according to Ukraine’s defense ministry. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with 25 people, including 11 trapped under the rubble, already saved, the ministry added.
Russian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region killed at least two people, including an eight-year-old boy, according to the regional governor. Another person was killed in a missile strike on the central city of Dnipro, said regional governors.
In Zaporizhzhia, two people were injured, including a 12-year-old girl who is now in intensive care, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported on Telegram. The past day saw 313 attacks and shelling incidents across 11 settlements, damaging several buildings in Zaporizhzhia, including a missile strike on the region’s administrative center.
Late Monday, Russian forces launched missiles at Dnipro, killing one person, injuring three others, and damaging homes, according to Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor of Dnipropetrovsk.
Ukraine’s air force reported that it shot down 27 out of 35 Russian-launched drones during an overnight attack on Tuesday. The air force also stated that Russian forces employed three ballistic missiles and one guided missile in the attack, as per a statement on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Zelensky and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi are scheduled to meet in Kyiv after Grossi visits the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which has been under Russian control since early in the war. Grossi announced on X that he was en route to the plant to “continue our assistance & help prevent a nuclear accident.”
The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been in “cold shutdown” since falling to Russian forces in the first days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Both sides have frequently accused each other of shelling the plant, with both Moscow and Kyiv denying the allegations.
Zelensky indicated that after Grossi’s visit to the plant, he would travel to Kyiv for a meeting with the Ukrainian leader. Zelensky also mentioned that, at this stage of the conflict, it is not feasible for Ukraine to regain control of the plant.
