A Blow to the Defense Exhibition: Zelenskyy Announces Criminal Investigations
25 July 04:56
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke out strongly regarding a defense and technology event held in the Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast, which was targeted by a Russian ballistic missile strike on July 24. The head of state emphasized that Russia bears direct responsibility for the loss of life, but the organizers were also negligent in gathering a large number of people in one place.
Zelenskyy made these remarks in an evening address published on the Ukrainian president’s website, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Zelenskyy commented on the strike on the exhibition in the Kyiv region
The president said that the target of the Russian attack in the Bucha district was an event that, in his words, “definitely should not have been there.”
Zelenskyy noted that he had already heard reports from law enforcement officials and discussed the situation with Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. Criminal investigations have been opened into the tragedy.
The head of state emphasized separately that the strike was caused by Russian missiles and Russian terror. At the same time, he called it unacceptable to hold weapons exhibitions with large numbers of participants, especially near residential areas.
“No weapons exhibitions should be held—with large crowds of people, and certainly not near residential buildings,” the president stated.
Zelenskyy Cited the Organizers’ Negligence
In his address, the president effectively distinguished between two aspects of the tragedy.
The first is Russia’s responsibility for using ballistic missiles and deliberately attacking Ukrainian territory.
The second is the organizational decisions made by those who approved holding a large-scale defense-themed event amid a constant missile threat.
Zelenskyy emphasized that warnings about the dangers of such gatherings during wartime had already been issued repeatedly. In his view, the concentration of military personnel, developers, and representatives of defense companies in a single location poses an extremely high risk.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
How Many People Died in the Strike
According to the president, as of the evening of July 24, ten deaths had been reported. A significant number of people were injured.
According to police, private homes, hotels, a restaurant, and dozens of cars were also damaged in the attack.
Zelenskyy expressed his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.
Where Exactly Did the Russian Missiles Strike?
Early reports often referred to the site of the attack as a military training ground. Later, Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat clarified that the strike hit a sports complex where a defense-themed event was taking place, and that the facility was not under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The event featured demonstrations of technologies and developments for the defense sector. Participants included representatives of the Ukrainian defense industry, military personnel, developers of unmanned systems, and foreign partners.
Russia fired three ballistic missiles
According to the Air Force, Russian forces attacked the Kyiv region with three “Iskander-M”-type ballistic missiles or missiles launched from an S-400 system from the north.
One aerial target was successfully intercepted, while two missiles were confirmed to have struck their targets. The exact types of weapons used were determined following an analysis of the debris.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
