Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy decries housing of weapons in civilian area after Russian strike kills 10
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said officials who allowed weapons warehouses to operate in a residential area outside Kyiv, where explosions killed 10 people, had been identified and
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said officials who allowed weapons warehouses to operate in a residential area outside Kyiv, where explosions killed 10 people, had been identified and would be held accountable. A Russian strike earlier this week on the small town of Vyshneve on Kyiv’s western outskirts hit a warehouse containing arms, setting off a series of secondary explosions. Hundreds of houses were damaged. The Ukrainian president said an investigation by the Ukrainian Security Service had established which officials at the state weapons producer Ukroboronprom had authorised use of the warehouse. “This was a direct violation of both the law and a decision of the supreme commander-in-chief’s staff,” he said. “The responsible officials have been identified and the state’s position is that each of them must be held accountable.” He added: “Every enterprise manager must ensure that such tragedies are never repeated.” The issue sparked a public outcry, with residents claiming negligence and a lack of information from officials. Zelenskyy’s announcement came as Russian missile and drone attacks in Ukraine on Saturday killed eight people, including a child, and wounded dozens more, officials said. Two glide bombs hit a crowded area in the northern city of Sumy, a frequent Russian target, killing five people and injuring 30.In a border district of Sumy region, where the Kremlin wants to expand a buffer zone, an official said a man was killed after stepping on an explosive device.
Glide bombs also injured 10 in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia, the regional governor said. Two people were killed and another wounded earlier in the day by a missile strike on the southern port city of Odesa. The injury toll from Saturday’s strikes on the capital Kyiv rose to 12, including two children, according to the city’s mayor. Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 120 drones and 12 missiles during the night, half of them ballistic. “Civilian infrastructure was hit even before the air raid alert was issued,” he added. He posted videos of emergency teams working in the smoke and rubble of ruined buildings. Apartment buildings, offices and a theological school were damaged in Kyiv, while recovery efforts were under way in other regions, he added. Zelenskyy said air defences “managed to shoot down most of the targets – but not the ballistic ones”. He repeated his plea for allies to send more military aid to help it fight off the Russian invasion, now well into its fifth year. Russia has stepped up attacks on the capital in recent weeks. So far this month, strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region have killed more than 60 people. Saturday’s strike on Kyiv marked the second time in less than a week that missiles hit before an air alert was issued.
The BriefWire