Russian Missiles Hit an Arms Exhibition Near Kyiv: At Least 10 Dead, and Ukraine Opens an Inquiry Against Its Own Too

At least ten dead and over 100 wounded - that is the toll of a Russian ballistic strike on an arms exhibition near Kyiv. The missiles fell on a range beside the Zhytomyr highway, just as an event with attendees was being held there.

President Volodymyr Zelensky first reported at least six victims and “dozens” of wounded. Later, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko revised the figures upward - at least ten dead and more than a hundred injured. The military stated that three missiles had been launched, that one was intercepted and two got through.

“Ballistic projectiles travel extremely fast and safety protocols must not be breached,” said Air Force spokesman Colonel Yuriy Ihnat. He recalled that mass military gatherings and public events have long been banned precisely for safety reasons.

And here the story turns uncomfortable for Ukraine itself. Two criminal investigations have been opened - one for violating the laws of war, the other for a possible lapse in the organisation of the event. In other words, it is being checked whether someone gathered people out in the open in a country over which missiles fall every day. Questions appeared at once on Ukrainian social networks: promotional materials and registration links may have revealed the location to the enemy.

The Council for the Defence Industry stated that it had not organised the gathering, but appealed to people not to share photos, videos and geolocations. The appeal comes - as usual - after the damage is already done.

Sirens in Kyiv wailed at around 11:20 local time, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko then reported explosions across the city. Russia has stepped up its mass missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital in recent weeks - on 19 July alone it fired 25 ballistic missiles, among the largest strikes since the start of the full-scale invasion. The Balkans know this scene by heart: a siren, silence, then a list of names. The only question is how long the world will watch it as news from far away.