Over 40 Dead and 200 Injured Due to Russian Missile Attack on Central Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, stated that two Russian ballistic missiles struck a training center, military facility, and an adjacent hospital in a region in central Ukraine. According to Ukrainian officials, at least 49 people were killed and 219 others injured in these attacks that occurred on Tuesday, September 4. Ukrainian defense officials reported that these attacks took place in the city of Poltava, the capital of the region of the same name. Poltava is located about 350 kilometers southeast of Kyiv and lies on the main highway and railway route between Kyiv and Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv. According to the country's Ministry of Defense, the two missiles hit the military site immediately after an air raid warning, leaving people unable to evacuate and reach shelters. The Associated Press reported that this attack is one of the deadliest carried out by Russian forces since the war began in the winter of 2021. In response to the attack, Volodymyr Zelensky stated, 'I have ordered a complete and swift investigation into all circumstances of the incident.' He noted that during this attack, one of the buildings of the communications institute was destroyed, trapping many under the rubble while others survived. He expressed gratitude to those who saved lives, stating that all necessary services were engaged in the rescue operation. Meanwhile, there was no immediate information from the Ukrainian General Staff regarding the incident. Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko also responded to the incident, mentioning that emergency responders were working at an educational institution in Poltava, saying, 'Thanks to the quick and coordinated work of the rescuers, 25 people were saved, 11 of whom were pulled from the rubble.' Philip Pronin, head of the military administration of the Poltava region, referred to the attack as 'a great tragedy' for Poltava and all of Ukraine, stating, 'The enemy must answer for all crimes against humanity.' The President of Ukraine also criticized his Western partners on Telegram for sending military aid and imposing restrictions on Ukraine's military operations on Russian territory with weapons received from the West, stating, 'Ukraine currently needs missile and defense systems, not a stockpile of weapons.' Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the advance of his forces in eastern Ukraine is much faster than before, capturing several square kilometers each day. Putin made these remarks on Monday, September 11, as Russian forces continued their attacks to break through one of the most important defensive positions of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk region. The attack on Poltava occurred on the same day that Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia. There are no signs that senior officials in Mongolia are responding to requests for his arrest based on an international warrant for war crimes. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin last year for committing war crimes related to the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. This warrant is enforceable in all 124 member countries of the court, but the court lacks the capacity and enforcement arm to execute its rulings. This is Putin's first visit to a country that is a member of the International Criminal Court since the issuance of his arrest warrant.