In the Crosshairs of the “Iskanders”: All the Details of the Missile Strike on an Exhibition Near Kyiv and the Response of the Verkhovna Rada’s National Security Committee
24 July 17:33
ANALYSIS FROM 
In the Kyiv region, Russian occupation forces launched a targeted ballistic missile strike on a military training ground where an arms exhibition was taking place at the time. The consequences of the attack are tragic: at least ten people are known to have been killed and about a hundred injured. Organizing a public event with a prior announcement during wartime sparked a wave of criticism and outrage among the public and political circles. Read more in the article "Komersant Ukrainian".
Valery Borovik, founder of First Contact, a defense contractor, was the first to report the enemy attack. For security reasons, he did not specify the exact location of the strike or disclose details of the damage.
Subsequently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attack on the region and the presence of casualties.
“A rescue operation is currently underway in the Kyiv region following a Russian missile strike. As of now, we know of dozens of casualties. It is also known that, unfortunately, six people have died. My condolences go out to their families and loved ones. An investigation into all the circumstances and the fate of those affected is ongoing. All necessary emergency services are on the scene,” the head of state wrote.
Meanwhile, Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov, a special advisor to the President of Ukraine on communications and electronic warfare, reassured his followers by stating that he was not at that training ground. The expert, who frequently attends defense events, explained his criteria for assessing safety.
“There are dozens (if not hundreds) of such events. When I see risks, I don’t go to the training ground,” Beskrestnov wrote.
He also listed five key risks that cause him to decline participation: lack of cover, online announcements, a huge number of participants, and the range of ballistic projectiles.
What was used to strike, and what were the consequences?
Yuriy Ignat, head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force, provided his assessment of the incident and details of the airstrike. He debunked false claims about the use of “Zircon” hypersonic missiles and clarified exactly what the enemy used to carry out the strike.
“Based on the information available so far, these were ‘Iskander-M’ and S-400 missiles. Possibly both types. In total, the enemy fired five missiles at the Kyiv and Odesa regions in the south. Air defense forces managed to intercept and shoot down one Iskander missile. Unfortunately, two missiles struck the Kyiv region today. My deepest condolences to everyone who has lost loved ones. A large number of people were affected, and there are also those who were wounded,” said Yuriy Ignat.
Yuriy Ignat is confident that law enforcement agencies will conduct a legal assessment and refuted reports that the strike hit a military training ground.
“Regarding the word ‘training ground’: it immediately brings to mind associations with the military. Of course, this is not a training ground; it is a sports complex that has no connection to the military. As for what was taking place there—that will indeed be investigated to determine exactly how it all happened. But it is not a training ground, and it has no connection to the Armed Forces,” says Yuriy Ignat.
What is being said in the Verkhovna Rada?
The incident sparked a sharp reaction among lawmakers, who are drawing direct parallels to the strike on the drama theater in Chernihiv in August 2023, where an exhibition of drone manufacturers was also taking place.
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Oleksiy Honcharenko, a member of parliament from the “European Solidarity” faction, expressed extreme outrage over the fact that the event was publicly announced. He is demanding that those who approved the exhibition be identified and punished.
“This exhibition was also announced. […] It seemed to me that in the fifth year of a full-scale war, we should all be not just cautious, but even more responsible. How could they announce such an exhibition and gather a crowd of people? Well, we’ve already had what happened in Chernihiv. We’ve already had attacks during rallies. There’s already been a lot of everything. So why are people being exposed to direct danger again?” Goncharenko said.
People’s Deputy Viktoria Hryb also emphasized that during wartime, safety must take precedence over public relations.
“How is it that, after all these tragedies, we keep repeating the same mistakes? […] Every event like this could attract the attention of enemy intelligence and must be evaluated based on one simple question: Are we creating an additional threat to our military and civilians? During wartime, safety must take precedence over spectacle, public relations, and the desire to hold a glamorous event,” Hryb noted.
People’s Deputy Mariana Bezuhla blamed both the organizers and the authorities for the tragedy, specifically mentioning Maria Berlinska, the organizer of the Chernihiv exhibition.
“The Russians struck the arms dealers’ exhibition. Enough of these exhibitions in this format. I have a question for everyone: both the private companies seeking publicity and the authorities who allow this. Has the incident with Berlinska’s event in Chernihiv taught us nothing?”
Despite the widespread public outcry and calls for an investigation, the relevant parliamentary committee has not yet provided any concrete answers.
Publication "Komersant Ukrainian" reached out to Fedir Venislavskyi, chair of the Subcommittee on State Security, Defense, and Defense Innovations of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security. When asked by journalists whether this tragedy would be brought up for discussion in the committee and whether they would initiate the creation of a Temporary Investigative Commission (TIC), the deputy replied briefly: “I have no information.”
Law Enforcement Response
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko issued an official statement regarding the tragedy. According to updated data, 10 people were killed as a result of the hostile attack, and about 100 more were injured to varying degrees (the figures are still being refined).
Law enforcement agencies have opened criminal investigations on two fronts: war crimes committed by the Russian Federation and official negligence on the part of the organizers.
The Prosecutor General emphasized that war does not exempt anyone from responsibility for managerial decisions, and the investigation will provide a clear legal assessment of the actions of all those involved.
“The investigation will determine who made the decision to hold the event, who approved the location, time, and format of the event, what security measures were in place, and whether the risks were properly assessed under martial law,” Ruslan Kravchenko emphasized.
Rescue workers and law enforcement agencies are currently continuing their work at the scene of the tragedy to determine all the circumstances surrounding the organization of the event, which became a target for Russian missiles.
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