At least 15 people have been killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, including 10 dead in ballistic missile strikes on an exhibition near Kyiv showcasing drone technology.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saidsome 100 people had been injured in thedaytime attack on the exhibition, attended by prominent members of the defence sector.
According to report, five people were also killed by Russian glide bombs in the eastern city of Sloviansk, as also early on Saturday, military officials confirmed the deaths of two men in the northern city of Sumy.
On Friday evening, Zelensky said he had received intelligence that Russia was preparing another massive missile strike, which could happen “within the next 48 hours”.
A Ukrainian strike on Fridaykilled six peopleand wounded 26 in the Russian city of Kirov, more than 1,000km, 600 miles, behind the front line. Ukraine also attacked warehouses of Wildberries – Russia’s biggest online retailer.
After the attacks near Kyiv, there were initially fears for the safety of Defence Ministry adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov, also known as Flash, and Lyuba Shypovych, who has been involved in developing technology for the Ukrainian army.
Following the incident, both took to social media to confirm they were unharmed, and Beskrestnov said he had stayed away from the event because of security concerns.
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuri Ihnat told Ukrainian TV the attack involved three ballistic missiles, only one of which was intercepted.
Russia confirmed the attack. Its Defence Ministry said high-precision long-range weaponry had been used on a site where drones for use in targeting civil sites in Russia were being demonstrated.
It said producers of drones, as well as representatives of Ukraine’s drone forces and security services “directly planning and carrying out strikes on Russian territory” were present.
This is at least the third time since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 that an exhibition of this kind has been hit.
There has been widespread outrage that a public event of this kind was being held at all and had, apparently, been widely advertised.
President Zelensky said the incident was being investigated, while Ukraine’s prosecutor-general said efforts were under way to establish who decided to hold the event and what safety measures were in place.
The attack came hours after the Ukrainian strikes on a factory in the city of Kirov and warehouses in north-west Russia.
Zelensky said “one of the most important military facilities” in Kirov supplying “components for aircraft and missile equipment” used in strikes against Ukraine had been hit.
Friday’s attacks on at least two Wildberries facilities in the St Petersburg area were the latest of several over the past week.
The attacks on the retailer have dealt a blow to a large number of small and medium-sized businesses within Russia.
After months of drone attacks on oil depots and refineries, Kyiv says it is targeting logistics hubs – such as those run by Wildberries – because they can be used to buy military equipment, in order to disrupt supplies to the Russian army.
Meanwhile Zelensky is expected to travel to the US next week, and is slated to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday, a White House official said, as Washington seeks to revive peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Trump ally Laura Loomer, who is in Kyiv and on Friday interviewed Zelensky, quoted him as saying he intends to go to the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham on the same day.
Meanwhile, Romanian President Nicusor Dan said a Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian drone breaching the country’s airspace on Friday.
The Romanian authorities had earlier issued alerts across several eastern and south-eastern areas.
BBC/Taiwo Akinola
