Two ballistic missiles struck the Military Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technologies in the Pechersk neighborhood of Kyiv in what has become the deadliest single Russian attack of the year.
Photographs posted on social media showed the bodies of young men lying among the debris, with a large building heavily damaged in the background. Reuters has not yet verified the images. (Related: Ukraine launches HUNDREDS of drones targeting energy infrastructure in Russia, including a major oil refinery in Moscow.)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, calling it "barbaric" and the perpetrators "Russian scum." He vowed that those who orchestrated the attack would face justice and immediately ordered an investigation into the attack, which caused the building of the Military Institute to collapse.
In his nightly address, Zelensky updated the death toll to 51, adding that rescuers were still working to save those trapped under the rubble. “Everything is being done to save as many lives as possible,” he said.
The ballistic missiles used in the attack, which are capable of hitting targets hundreds of kilometers away within minutes, left little time for victims to take cover after the air raid sirens sounded.
According to Ukraine’s foreign ministry, this contributed to the heavy casualties.
First Lady Olena Zelenska expressed her sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a "stunning tragedy for all of Ukraine" on X, and emphasized the loss at both the military institute and a nearby hospital also hit in the attack.
Some Ukrainians posted worried messages on the military institute’s Facebook page, seeking information about their loved ones.
Ukraine's defense ministry confirmed that one of the institute’s buildings had been partially destroyed in the strike, leaving many people trapped under the rubble. Rescuers managed to save 25 people, 11 of whom were pulled from the debris, and search and rescue operations continued throughout the night.
Russia escalating drone and missile strikes against Ukraine
Russia has ramped up its missile and drone strikes on Ukraine in recent months, nearly three years into the war. Last week, Ukraine endured its most intense bombardment so far with over 200 drones and missiles targeting critical energy infrastructure throughout the country. This was followed up on Monday, Sept. 2, with a barrage of cruise and ballistic missiles that caused widespread explosions.
Ukraine responded to last week's attack with over 158 drones targeting Russian energy sites. This attack even succeeded in damaging an oil refinery in Moscow and a power station nearby.
Over the past month, fighting has intensified as Russian forces have advanced in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian forces mounted their first large-scale cross-border assault into Russia. Moscow has vowed to retaliate for the incursion into Russia's Kursk region.
This escalation marks a significant intensification of hostilities, with both sides increasing their use of drone and missile attacks.
Zelensky reiterated his call for Western nations to provide more air defense systems and allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory.
"We keep telling everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terror: Air defense systems and missiles are needed in Ukraine, not in a warehouse somewhere," Zelensky said.
He added that "long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not sometime later." He warned that every day of delay in receiving those weapons would lead to more casualties.
Watch this short clip from Fox News discussing how Ukraine is reeling from the deadly Russian strike against the Military Telecommunications Institute.
This video is from the Vampire Slayer channel on Brighteon.com.
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