Russia targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in a large-scale missile and drone bombardment during the night hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said talks with the U.S on ending the 3-year war will take place next week Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Several people have been injured after Russia launched a "massive" drone attack on on the Ukrainian region of Poltava Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player According to Ukrinform, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine shared details on Facebook The attack solely targeted civilian infrastructure One of the drones crashed near a high-rise building shattering windows and damaging the facade and rescuers are currently working to extinguish the flames The SES emphasized that the damage response is ongoing with psychologists on-site to assist the victims an air alert was declared across several regions of Ukraine on the evening of April 22 due to Russian UAV activity While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Story by Margot BassPhotos courtesy of Eric Bougie The blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ is with all of us another day of the life that the Lord gives us,” exclaimed Pasha the current leader of Calvary Chapel Poltava in Ukraine “We thank our God for [His] mercy and goodness to us Thank you for the hope we have through Your Word Eric has been pastor of Calvary Chapel Poltava He and his wife are parents to four children in mid-January to take care of important family business they continue to minister to their congregation from afar He was inviting them to the Wednesday evening service We need communication more than ever at this time not only in the world of news and events of today but much more in the light of the Word and the Spirit of God.” Pasha is standing in the gap at CC Poltava Many church members have left the city of approximately 283,000 situated on the Vorskla River expecting to return in April and not expecting a war CC Poltava has a strong ministry in its community In this photo taken before the Bougie family left members minister to and assist parents of children born prematurely An Unexpected DelayRelations between Russia and Ukraine have long been tense “There were warnings all the time that there were Russians on the border and many Ukrainians thought it was a lot of huffing and puffing by Russia,” Eric acknowledged but we [know] people who are in harm’s way We understand that there are people in Ukraine who have kids and are in danger.” He and his Russian-born wife Tatyana have four children Returning to Ukraine soon “seems impossible” for now “Our heart is to go back as soon as the situation changes and we don’t want to feel like we abandoned them If God would open another door to get us closer to Poltava somehow Make it clear to us so that we’re not moving on emotions.” ( Bridge for Life 2022 is a 2-day conference focused on equipping the church to play an active role in the fight against abortion. Discover how your church can be a Bridge for Life and learn how to launch a mobile ultrasound ministry in your community. )                    the church continues to meet on Sundays and Wednesdays “a wonderful Ukrainian brother in the Lord who’s been with the church even longer than I have It’s personal for him; it’s his own homeland that’s being attacked but we love to see the work the Lord is doing in his life,” Eric explained CC Poltava continues to meet for worship and biblical teaching on Sundays and Wednesdays even though many members have left for safer locations in Western Ukraine and border nations the young worship team joyfully leads praises before the current war is leading the fellowship until the Bougie family can return Many from the church have left; before the war began but that number has understandably dwindled “We had a huge African population in the city I would say a third of our church came from Africa All of the students we know are either in Hungary or back in Africa with their parents recently left the city to join her husband who works in Poland she was transported by volunteers across the country to her husband “She’s testifying about how the Lord provided throughout difficulty,” Eric shared some from the church have been helped through the efforts of Calvary Chapel pastors who purchased vans to take Ukrainians to border countries Her little boy just about got trampled because everyone was trying to get on these evacuation trains They had to stand in this packed train car for like 24 hours She was praying the whole way,” Eric shared there was somebody who got her all the way across to the other side of the country She’s already found a Russian-speaking church [which] speaks a language she understands She’s testifying about how the Lord has been providing throughout difficulty both cities that have been very heavily hit by the Russian military but I think it’s just a midpoint to go on further west and to the borders of other countries.” Eric shared concerns about possible future attacks based on its nearness to those hard-hit cities Poltava doesn’t have a heavy military presence “We’re just praying that if the Russian army gets that far we’ve heard that Poltava has not suffered some of the things you’ve seen on TV.” “The Lord is our help in this present time of need,” Eric emphasized “I encourage the body of Christ to read all of Psalm 121 that is what came to my mind over and over again.” The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth Poltava was home to a large African population members from that group enjoy a Christmas dinner at CC Poltava Maintaining RelationshipsDespite his absence Eric has maintained strong communication with his Ukrainian flock and we’re writing to the people daily to see how they’re doing he believes God has called him to raise funding from generous believers—including from his sending church of Calvary Chapel Melbourne FL—to provide money directly to individuals in his congregation Some who give directly have visited the Ukrainian church and know the congregation personally “Most of the people in Poltava aren’t working now,” Eric noted so I can’t even imagine what kind of expenses they might be coming up with especially if they’re in a different country We were just trying to reach out to people who might need help immediately.” At this point the church has not opened as a refugee center Some members are housing refugees as they pass through Couples gather for fun and encouragement at CC Poltava before the Russian invasion Other ministries include outreach to special needs youth and youth who enjoy playing volleyball Eric revealed that his family left 99% of their possessions in Ukraine when they left—but not just that I can’t stop thinking about them and what they’re going through Praise the Lord that everything’s pretty quiet in Poltava We can only pray that it will stay that way.” but I believe this is producing in him even more [growth] than he had before,” Eric declared will somehow get to the church—that they would attend and come to the Lord through all of this," Eric emphasized • Pray for non-believers the church has reached out to in the past to also come to faith • Pray that the Lord would bring peace to Ukraine and protect Poltava from heavy military action.• Pray that the Bougie family will be able to find an affordable used van for travel while they stay in the U.S How to Help Donate to Calvery Chapel Melbourne hereDonations can also be made through Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia at app.securegive.com (Click here to read more about and to register for the Bridge for Life conference) Articles or photographs may not be reproduced without the written permission of CCM Nevada 89502540.373.7882contact@calvarymagazine.orgMon – Thu • 8am – 4pm (PT) Look for a verification eMail after submission We sent a verification email in your mailbox Calvary Chapel Magazine is a 501(c)3 non-profit ministry The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." Vice President Mike Pence said Putin "only understands power." About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:36 am)War analysisFrance is sending Ukraine more AASM Hammer bombs — here's what they can do Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin The number includes 1,430 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans which covers dissent in the Soviet Union and Russia today Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 5 announced they had facilitated Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France after she fled house arrest on April 21 A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 by Tim ZadorozhnyyIllustrative purposes only: A picture showing Naftogaz workers leaving the Bobrovnytska gas-compressor and gas-holder station in Mryn (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from Naftogaz Group regarding damage to facilities in Poltava Oblast Russia launched an aerial strike against Ukraine's power grid overnight on Feb forcing the country's energy operator to implement emergency power outages The attack, which included strikes on gas infrastructure overnight and continued into the morning, has further strained Ukraine's energy grid "At night, Russia attacked gas infrastructure. As of this morning, the energy sector is still under attack," Halushchenko said Russian forces launched a combined missile and drone attack overnight, targeting primarily Poltava Oblast, the Air Force reported. Production facilities of Naftogaz Group in the region were damaged, the state-owned oil and gas company said "We are grateful to all our colleagues who continue to produce and supply gas to all categories of consumers in this extremely difficult time," said Roman Chumak The full consequences of the attack are being determined The emergency shutdowns were lifted at around 10:50 a.m. local time, according to Ukrenergo Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure since the start of its full-scale invasion aiming to disrupt power supplies and weaken civilian morale In September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian strikes had destroyed all of Ukraine's thermal power plants and most of its hydroelectric capacity Ukrainian authorities and energy companies have been working to repair and reinforce the grid ahead of expected renewed attacks Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent he is pursuing studies in International Relations Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor Volodymyr Zelenskiy says more than 206 people injured as unconfirmed reports say strike targeted military ceremony Ukraine has experienced one of the deadliest attacks of the war after a Russian missile strike on the central city of Poltava hit a military training institute and a nearby hospital killing at least 51 people and injuring more than 200 others two ballistic missiles had “partially destroyed” one of the buildings of the Poltava Military Institute of Communications called it “a stunning tragedy for all of Ukraine” “The enemy hit an educational institution and a hospital,” she wrote Some left worried messages on the institute’s Facebook page seeking information about their loved ones Zelenskiy said he held Russia accountable but had ordered a “full prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened” The strike has triggered anger on Ukrainian social media after unconfirmed reports said it had targeted an outdoor military ceremony with many blaming officials who allowed the event to take place despite the threat of Russian attacks Ukraine’s land forces confirmed that service personnel were killed in the strike and said an investigation was under way to establish whether enough was done to protect those in the facility It said measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence it was announced on Tuesday evening that four Ukrainian cabinet ministers had resigned The deputy prime minister for European affairs Olga Stefanishyna; the minister of strategic industries Oleksandr Kamyshin (who has played a prominent role in boosting arms production); the minister of justice Denys Maliuska; and the minister of the environment The US national security council spokesperson condemned Tuesday’s attack as “another horrific reminder of Putin’s brutality towards the people in Ukraine” as the White House vowed that more aid would be dispatched to Ukraine in the coming weeks said his administration could not provide more details of the circumstances of the strike “for security reasons” He added: “The enemy is using any means to bring Ukraine more pain and disorientate Ukrainians Please trust only reliable sources,” he said an MP who regularly criticises the country’s military leadership accused high-ranking officials of endangering soldiers by allowing such events “These tragedies keep repeating themselves Poltava is about 200 miles (320km) south-east of Kyiv Photographs posted on social media in Ukraine showed bodies lying on the ground covered in dust and debris Substantial damage could be seen on two separate nearby multistorey buildings with at least five floors exposed in one of them where the external wall had been blown off With fears that others remain buried under the debris the press officer of the emergency services said in televised comments: “Every 15-20 minutes there are ‘minutes of silence’ to listen out for people who are under the rubble.” A statement from Ukraine’s defence ministry said the “time between the air raid siren and the incoming deadly missile was so short that it caught people at the moment they were evacuating to the shelter” It added that rescue crews and medics had saved 25 people at the scene including 11 who were dug out from the rubble Although the identities of the victims were not immediately disclosed a prominent Ukrainian Telegram blogger followed by many radio communications and electronic warfare specialists in Ukraine’s military posted a tribute to “my signals operator comrades” Russian Telegram channels described the site of the hit as a military training facility It was not immediately clear how many of the victims were military or civilians Russia has struck civilian targets repeatedly throughout the two and a half years of full-scale war and has intensified its air assault on Ukraine in recent weeks Free newsletterA digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day It launched a large missile and drone attack on Kyiv in the early hours of Monday most of which was intercepted by Ukrainian air defence 0:44Kyiv hit by barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks – videoOn Monday night two people were killed in the city of Zaporizhzhia Ukraine also targeted Russia with more than 158 drones at the weekend damaging an oil refinery near Moscow and a power station and last week Russia was pummelled with the heaviest bombardment to date Zelenskiy repeated his calls for more western air defences and urged allies to allow their long-range weapons to be used for strikes deeper into Russian territory in order to protect Ukraine “We keep telling everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terror: air defence systems and missiles are needed in Ukraine “Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now The deadly strikes came as Vladimir Putin received a red-carpet welcome to Mongolia on Tuesday. The country ignored calls to arrest him on an international warrant for alleged war crimes stemming from Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine Vladimir Putin and Mongolia’s president during the Russian leader’s welcome in Ulaanbaatar Photograph: Kristina Kormilitsyna/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/EPAThe trip is the Russian president’s first to a member nation of the international criminal court (ICC) since it issued the warrant in March 2023 Ukraine urged Mongolia to hand Putin over to the court in The Hague and the EU expressed concern that Mongolia might not execute the warrant The ICC has accused Putin of being responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine Member countries are required to detain suspects if a warrant has been issued but Mongolia needs to maintain its ties with Russia and the court lacks a mechanism to enforce its warrants Putin was welcomed in the main square of the capital by an honour guard dressed in vivid red and blue uniforms styled on those of the personal guard of the 13th-century ruler Genghis Khan the red marker ink does not bleed into the shirt’s white fabric The timestamp is not there for the players No member of Ukrainian champions Vorskla Women needs to be reminded of what happened on September 3 the day Poltava — the club’s home in east-central Ukraine — was struck by two Russian ballistic missiles killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 300 in one of the deadliest single attacks since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 Less than 24 hours later, Vorskla players pulled their white shirts with their red broken hearts and black timestamps over their ponytails. They walked out onto a football pitch in Budapest where they met Latvian champions Riga, who wore shirts donning the same inscriptions. A Champions League first-round qualifying semi-final was meant to be played despite the fact such an enterprise felt impossible It is this tension that sits at the heart of The Athletic’s two-hour conversation with Vorskla team-mates Tanya Levytska and Ania Davydenko and former player Iia Andrushchak who is now manager of Vorskla men’s reserve side There is the principal topic of: ‘Why play football during a war?’ But “I want to start by sharing good news,” says Davydenko over a Zoom call the words instantly warming the former Ukrainian police captain’s face “My class-mate was released from a war prison today after more than a year His first words were about the fact he didn’t have time to live “I think about this now because I want to encourage people to have time to live I wanted to win because my brother is a military man I knew someone would write about our victory (against Riga) And I also wanted to thank those people who are there in the east who will never see the morning or their children again.” Vorskla claimed a 5-0 victory against Riga progressing to the first-round qualifying final against Hungarian champions Ferencvarosi A 2-0 victory secured a second-round qualifying berth against Scottish champions Celtic ending Vorskla’s Champions League campaign remains a moment of poignancy for the reigning Ukrainian champions “I cried because Riga wore those T-shirts with us Because grief does not happen to someone in isolation Because we chose in any case to do what we love Vorskla’s story is — as is the case for so many Ukrainian clubs and athletes — one of strength and defiance in the most remarkable of circumstances But it also shines a light on a growing concern for women’s football in the nation: significant development of the game that has come to a halt since Russia’s invasion the Ukrainian Football Association adopted a four-year strategy for the growth of women’s football which included requiring all top-flight men’s clubs to incorporate a women’s team into their structure The ruling drastically changed the professional opportunities for women footballers with increased access to sponsorship revenue including Vorskla (previously known as Zhytlobud-2 before their integration with Vorskla in 2021) women’s footballers were not afforded legal protection in contracts and very rarely received professional contracts or full-time opportunities after working as a waitress and gas-station attendant joined the national police following her studies “I didn’t believe as a woman I could live on the account of sports,” she says Davydenko decided to return to football following the new regulation But the negative stigma associated with women’s football left her fearful of informing friends and family of her decision “Everyone thought it was such an absurd decision,” Davydenko says through tears and here I was quitting my job to pursue football But the only thing she said was the doors of her house will always be open The new regulation also attracted top talent from outside the country to the league Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to all football in the nation being suspended fled in search of safety and opportunities elsewhere While men’s football was permitted to return later that year women’s football had to wait until September 2023 The word return rouses a chuckle from the women The best way Andrushchak can put it is that her life has returned to normal until it has not Streets are full until the drones appear and alarms pierce the air 30 seconds,” says the former Ukraine international Football operates at a similar interrupted pace Pre-match warm-ups carry on until the air-raid sirens shriek Then players and staff must stop their high-knees and leg stretches and tactical prep to seek out shelter in a designated stadium passage estimating the length of the intermission by reading news updates on their phones describing the make and model of the potential rocket launched This is the protocol from kick-off to final whistle 90-minute occasions stretching to five or six hours across the nation Vorskla’s Champions League campaign brought a new dimension They were required to play their ‘home’ matches abroad because UEFA deemed the war-time conditions unsafe for hosting purposes Ukraine flags flap in the wind without the soundtrack of sirens “We smiled being in Scotland,” says Levytska of their two-legged qualifying play-off in Glasgow “We play for 90 minutes without stopping and have only one warm-up we smile to the other girls and say: ‘Come to Ukraine Would you like to play a six-hour game?’.” “After a long time staying outside Ukraine home!” Levytska speaks as if greeting an old friend Despite the official resumption of women’s football last September While the Ukrainian FA’s new legislation required the integration of women’s sides into a club structure clubs are not mandated to provide youth pathways The result is young domestic talent seeking playing opportunities outside Ukraine have continued to support women’s teams during the crisis leaving many women’s teams more vulnerable to the impacts of war Dynamo Kyiv disbanded their women’s side at the start of the new season but the loss of one of the most recognisable football brands in the country further dilutes a league already fighting for survival we cannot speak about development for women’s football,” says Andrushchak it needs men’s football clubs to create the women’s teams Any talk of a solution hinges on an outcome with no timeline: the war’s end But the indefinite nature of the situation does not keep the women from dreaming of a better future: one in which girls are not exposed to the game only by means of chasing after their brothers in parks or being heckled by strangers when they reveal their pursuit of a football career “Women’s football needs to be popularised and exposed.” Shifting entrenched gender stereotypes begins from the grassroots up She became the nation’s first woman to manage a men’s professional side when she took charge of Vorskla-2 last November after coaching the club’s under-19s men’s team the landmark has made Andrushchak more aware of the gulf in access and development setups afforded to the nation’s young women and girls “England (Women) won the Euros in 2022,” she says “After that there was a big boom in England about women’s football the FA invested a lot of money into the game the clubs invested money into their women’s setups It’s a lot of steps to achieve something big like that but now the Women’s Super League is the best league in the world We have empty stadiums because some people can go to games some people are interested but others do not want to because women’s football is not a priority Then everything can be possible after the war.” Vorskla’s attention has turned to winning a sixth domestic title on the trot two points behind leaders Kolos Kov but with a game in hand And the adrenaline of their Champions League campaign has not worn off yet I was more intimidated by playing against Celtic in the Champions League than facing a rocket,” Davydenko says We play for the opportunity to wake up every morning as a Ukrainian.” (Top photo: Vorskla Poltava players line up before their Champions League qualifier against Riga You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed The incident was reported by Volodymyr Kohut, Acting Head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration (RMA), on Facebook "The enemy once again attempted to attack Poltava region air defense forces were active against enemy targets in the region As a result of falling debris in Poltava district The debris also damaged the roof and windows of a private house The administrative building of a children's camp and power lines sustained minor damage," Kohut stated 16 households were left without electricity Specialists are working to restore power supply The woman who sustained minor injuries received medical assistance on-site the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down 65 Russian drones while other 35 UAVs were lost from tracking 2025 after a Russian attack on a residentian building (Ukraine's State Emergency service/Telegram)Editor note: This is a developing story and is being updated A Russian missile struck a residential building in the city of Poltava in the morning on Feb Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported The attack destroyed all five floors of one of the building's sections A total of 14 civilians, including two children, were killed in the missile strike, the State Emergency Service said on the morning of Feb Twenty-two people were rescued from the building, said acting Poltava Oblast Governor Volodymyr Kohut A search and rescue operation is ongoing as of 7 a.m. on Feb. 2. Over 400 employees of municipal services and city authorities have been involved in the emergency response, according to the acting mayor of Poltava Russia launched a large-scale attack on several regions overnight, hitting residential buildings in Odesa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said. "Attacks on residential buildings, civilians, typical tactics of the Russian army," he wrote on Telegram Russia launched 42 missiles of various types and 123 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said Murderers who have absolutely no respect for any leader in the world or any other nation," Yermak said President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraine's partners to strengthen the country's air defense "We are working to attract more resources and partners to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield. Protection against shelling is an absolute priority. Much more needs to be done, but every one of our partners in the world who helps us with this is a life saver," Zelensky said following the Poltava attack The city is 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Russia and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from the eastern front The city and surrounding region are regular targets of Russian drone and missile attacks. The largest attack killed at least 51 people and injured over 270 at the Poltava Military Institute of Communications on Sept According to Ukrinform, the Prosecutor General's Office reported this on Facebook "Under the procedural guidance of the Lubny District Prosecutor's Office two individuals -- residents of Lubny and Poltava -- have been notified of their charges," the statement said One suspect is accused of obstructing the lawful activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during a special period and the theft of a firearm involving violence (Part 1 of Article 114-1 and Part 3 of Article 262 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) The second suspect is charged with aiding in obstructing the lawful activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during a special period (Part 5 of Article 27 Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) a resident of Poltava was traveling to a military training unit accompanied by servicemen from the Poltava District Territorial Recruitment Center he repeatedly called an acquaintance from Lubny When the bus stopped at a gas station in Pyriatyn opened fire on one of the accompanying officers He then seized the victim's assault rifle and fled the scene with his accomplice law enforcement officers found two grenade casings and other items in the possession of the Lubny resident The seized evidence has been sent for forensic examination The stolen assault rifle was later discovered in a forested area where the suspects had abandoned it and authorities are deciding on preventive measures for the suspects Ukraine (AP) — Two ballistic missiles blasted a military training facility and nearby hospital Tuesday in Ukraine killing at least 47 people and wounding more than 200 others in one of the deadliest Russian strikes since the war began The strike hit the central-eastern city of Poltava the capital of the region of the same name partially destroying a building used by the Poltava Military Institute of Communications Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “People found themselves under the rubble Many were saved,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted on his Telegram channel He said he ordered “a full and prompt investigation.” READ MORE: Russia says it downed over 150 drones in one of Ukraine’s biggest drone attacks of the war Shattered bricks were visible inside the closed gates of the institution and pools of blood could be seen just outside the smell of smoke had spread through town Roads were covered in glass shards from shattered windows The attack happened as Ukrainian forces sought to carve out their holdings in Russia’s Kursk border region after a surprise incursion that began Aug 6 and as the Russian army hacks its way deeper into eastern Ukraine The missiles hit shortly after an air-raid alert sounded when many people were on their way to a bomb shelter describing the strike as “barbaric.” including 11 who were dug out of the rubble Filip Pronin announced three days of mourning starting Wednesday “A great tragedy for Poltava region and entire Ukraine,” Pronin wrote on his Telegram page “The enemy certainly must answer for all (its) crimes against humanity,” he said The strike came on the day that Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia There was no indication that his hosts would heed demands to arrest him on an international warrant for alleged war crimes Zelenskyy repeated his appeal for Ukraine’s Western partners to ensure swift delivery of military aid and European countries for being slow to make good on their pledges of help He also wants them to ease restrictions on what Ukraine can target on Russian soil with the weapons they provide Some countries fear that hitting Russia could escalate the war “Ukraine needs air defense systems and missiles now not sitting in storage,” Zelenskyy wrote in English on Telegram “Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins  (Updated:  September 3, 2024 9:27 pm) • 2 min readby Kateryna Hodunova, Kateryna DenisovaThe aftermath of the Russian missile strike on Poltava (Red Cross Ukraine)Editor's note: The story is being updated Russian forces launched two ballistic missiles against the city of Poltava on Sept killing at least 51 and injuring over 271 people The Military Institute of Communications and a neighboring medical facility were hit in the attack. The building of the educational institution was partially destroyed, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky "The time interval between the alarm and the arrival of the deadly missiles was so short that it caught people during an evacuation to the bomb shelter," the Defense Ministry said Many people remain trapped under the rubble while rescuers and medics continue to work at the scene the emergency services had rescued 25 people according to the ministry's statement "We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims This tragedy is yet another evidence of the enemy's cunning which stops at no crime to try to intimidate Ukrainians," the ministry said "We urge everyone to remain calm and trust only official sources of information Any speculation on this tragedy is unacceptable," the ministry added There were no ceremonies or other events near the military institute at the time of the Russian attack and then followed to the shelter after an air raid alert went off Zelensky said he had instructed an operational investigation into the circumstances of the attack on Poltava. Ukraine's Ground Forces is conducting an investigation to determine "whether enough was done to protect the lives and health of the soldiers at the facility," the military said Poltava is a city of around 300,000, located in Poltava Oblast in central Ukraine The city is situated around 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Russia and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from the eastern front The city and surrounding region are regular targets of Russian drone and missile attacks Investigation into why so many were present at a known military facility at time of deadly Russian strike After working out that the target of the missile had been the military communications institute in the city in east-central Ukraine they jumped in the car and set off to offer their help and have worked at army stabilisation positions close to the frontline in recent months None of that prepared them for the sight they found on arrival at the institute, which had been hit by two missiles, reportedly just as morning roll-call was taking place. The strike would turn out to be one of the deadliest single strikes of the war and the darkest day in a grim week for Ukraine as Russia continued its terror from the air 0:28Aftermath of deadly Russian missile attack on Poltava military institute – videoOutside the institute Tkachov saw people loading the wounded into an open-backed truck; when it was filled it set off to the hospital “People were screaming that we need stretchers – but there were no stretchers,” recalled Tkachov in an interview two days later people staggered around bloodied and confused while first responders carried out casualties and laid them out under a row of trees A man missing an eye let out piercing screams; those who had lost limbs and were bleeding out moaned more quietly “The people who were making the most noise weren’t necessarily the ones who needed help fastest,” said Melnyk The volunteers tried to perform a chaotic triage saving as many as they could by applying tourniquets before ambulances arrived to rush the patients to hospitals Ukrainian rescuers working at the site of the rocket strike in Poltava on 5 September Photograph: State emergency service of Ukraine/EPAAs of Friday morning 55 people were reported dead in the attack It is not clear if any of the victims were civilians The institute is a training facility that gives soldiers skills in electronics cyber-warfare and battlefield communications; its graduates are “the intellectual elite of the Ukrainian armed forces” according to a poster on an information stand outside many soldiers are sent there for a month of training before going back to the front Russia’s defence ministry said the institute trained Ukrainian soldiers “involved in strikes on civilian objects on the territory of the Russian Federation” and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels rejoiced at the high death toll questions are being asked about why so many people were present at a known military facility Ukraine’s ground forces command announced an investigation “to determine whether enough was done to protect the lives and health of servicemen” at the institute Officials have denied claims that morning roll-call was taking place when the strike hit and say instead that the airstrikes caught people evacuating the building The attack came seconds after an air-raid alarm sounded said the facade of the building had collapsed causing walls to fall down and bury people under the rubble “They are trying to stretch our air defences by striking all over the country in quick succession,” said a Ukrainian security source “And by sending in waves of drones and missiles every night they can make calculations about where the systems are at any given time based on what is shot down and recalibrate accordingly,” the source added Volunteers providing free water and meals for rescue workers and locals Photograph: Julia Kochetova/The GuardianUkraine has for months been desperately asking for more air defence systems to keep more of the country safe from strikes and many other big cities are well-protected there are not enough systems to protect all cities at all times the British government announced the transfer of 650 new missile systems to Ukraine to boost its air defences made by th French defence group Thales,is to be sent to Ukraine this year we have seen the tragic cost of Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on Poltava and Lviv … These new UK-made missiles will support Ukraine to defend its people A heavily damaged apartment building after a Russian missile attack that killed several people in the western city of Lviv Photograph: APAs well as requests for more air defence equipment President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is engaged in a long-running quest to persuade the Biden administration to allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russia which Kyiv says would help prevent the Russian air terror at source and minimise the threat to the country the risk of airstrikes remains acute every night where most people were paying little attention to sirens as big attacks are relatively rare dozens of victims of the onslaught remained seriously injured in hospitals around the city “The nurses here see blood and injuries every day but they were crying when they saw so many young people injured,” said Hrihorii Oksak the head doctor of one of Poltava’s biggest hospitals where 70 of the injured were brought on Tuesday morning Grygoriy Oksak the head doctor of Poltava regional hospital which is treating the most heavily injured from the recent airstrike Photograph: Julia Kochetova/The GuardianEvhen and Maksym were sharing a room on the neurosurgery ward when the Guardian visited the hospital on Thursday Maksym worked as an IT technician until earlier this year; he was called up to fight in spring who had been exempted from military service because of a medical condition Both men had been sent to the academy in Poltava for a month of training having rushed to Poltava from their homes elsewhere in Ukraine when they heard the news receiving shrapnel wounds to the face and other minor injuries had a serious head injury that doctors said would require two months in hospital and a titanium implant to plug a hole in his skull said her son was conscious but in unbearable pain and not able to communicate “I know that he can feel his mum is next to him but I don’t think he understands what happened,” she said “We just really hope everything will be all right.” The introduction of Ukrainian reserves into the fighting in the Pokrovsk area has led to a relative stabilisation of the situation but clashes are expected to continue on the eastern edge of that town which was previously occupied by the Russians the Russians launched a new attack in the westerly direction starting fighting for Lysivka (between Pokrovsk and Selydove) Its seizure by Russian troops would have made it much more difficult to supply the forces defending Selydove and those operating south and east of that town The flanking of Ukrainian forces west of Donetsk is extending surrendering their last positions in the western part of Krasnohorivka (fighting for this town lasted five months) and the fortified area around the village of Nevelske The evacuation of the Ukrainian forces is hampered by Russian advances on the west bank of the Vovcha River where fighting is taking place near the junction villages of Ukrayinsk and Hirnyk The Ukrainian grouping's path of retreat (its remnants west of Donetsk are estimated at around 3,000 troops) would require them to cross the aforementioned rivers The Russians have intensified operations south-west of Donetsk supplying the city is only possible via dirt roads The situation of the defenders is hampered by Russian advances south of Vuhledar (Russian units have crossed the Kashlahakh River) and west of that city from where the road to Pokrovsk runs (both in a northerly direction) Russian forces are also continuing their westward advance from the previously occupied Kostyantynivka junction Ukrainian forces briefly recaptured positions in the northern part of Niu-York allowing the evacuation of soldiers encircled in the area of the chemical plant They also made further advances in Toretsk occupying more quarters in the eastern part of the city and also west of Niu-York Russia is pushing Ukrainian forces out of their last positions east of the Donets-Donbas canal in the Chasiv Yar area They have crossed the canal north of the town but have made no significant progress in the town itself the Russians captured the ruins of the village of Synkivka over which fighting had been intermittent since February 2023 They also made further advances south-east of the town towards the Oskil River The Ukrainian operational-strategic grouping of Taurida troops confirmed the activation of Russian forces in Kherson Oblast the Russians have taken several larger islands at the mouth of the Dnipro (Ukrainian troops had previously withdrawn from them) and carried out reconnaissance on its right bank Russian artillery and drone activity has also increased Most likely its main objectives are to tie up Ukrainian forces in Kherson Oblast and to stop further redeployment of subunits from there to the Kursk and Donetsk oblasts The front line in Kursk Oblast has stabilised with limited moves to improve the tactical situation being made by both sides Ukrainian troops recorded their last minor field advances on 7 September President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian operations in Kursk Oblast had forced the Russians to redeploy around 60,000 troops there which should be seen as part of the information war Ukrainian and Western sources estimate the Russian grouping in Kursk Oblast at no more than 30,000 troops This is thought to be comparable to the forces committed by the Ukrainian side two Russian Iskander-M missiles hit the building of the Poltava Military Communications Institute now serving as one of the Ukrainian army's training centres 55 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 328 injured (there were no reports of civilian casualties) The rescue operation was completed on 5 September and three more people died in the following days as a result of their injuries The attack resulted in the highest single confirmed casualty toll (total dead and wounded) since the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine Lviv was the target of enemy missiles the following day Several missiles (including hypersonic Kinzhals) hit the city and 188 buildings were damaged as a result of falling shrapnel and the shockwave Local authorities reported seven dead and more than 60 residents injured An attack using as many as five Iskander-M missiles occurred on 6 September in Pavlohrad where one person was killed and 82 injured Russian kamikaze drones have been destroying power infrastructure in Ukraine’s rear but also shelling it in the frontline regions Donetsk (7 and 9 September) and Sumy (7 and 10 September) oblasts were damaged A power facility was also hit in Cherkasy Oblast (10 September) the Ministry of Defence of Belarus reported that several drones had been shot down and had entered the country's airspace (Ukrainian Air Force Command reported one drone flying into Belarus that day) between the morning of 3 September and the early hours of 10 September the Russians used 39 missiles (they claimed to have shot down 11) and 295 'Shaheds' (226 shot down) Ukraine carried out another massive attack on Russian territory The Russians reported the destruction of 144 Ukrainian drones 20 of them over Moscow Oblast and the most – 72 – over Bryansk Oblast Airfields and fuel-and-energy plants are thought to have been attacked but there are no reports on the extent of the damage a Ukrainian UAV destroyed an ammunition depot in Voronezh Oblast a surface drone strike on Novorossiysk carried out on 5 September was unsuccessful the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) launched a cyberattack on the digital assets of Russian companies working for the defence industry (including the Chelyabinsk plant and the Sibinstrument company in Irkutsk) Kyiv allegedly gained access to 14 servers and destroyed internal IT infrastructure by deleting systems files the chief of military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov indicated that the Telegram messenger which is one of the main sources of information for Ukrainian citizens poses a direct threat to the country's national security He added that blocking the communicator is technically difficult the 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in the Ramstein format took place for the first time since June The presence of the Ukrainian leader is one element of an effort to convince partners to agree to the use of ballistic missiles (ATACMS) and cruise missiles (Storm Shadow/SCALP) transferred to Kyiv for strikes against Russian territory US Department of Defense Chief Lloyd Austin confirmed that the US position on the issue remains negative participants in the Contact Group have provided more than $106 billion worth of assistance to Ukraine the Pentagon announced a new $250m military aid package the following will be transferred from the US military's stores RIM-7 Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles with additional air defence equipment Stinger man-portable surface-to-air guided missiles 155 mm and 105 mm calibre artillery shells and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and M113 armoured personnel carriers (it is expected that there will be around 200 in the latter package) Promises of further support to Kyiv have also been made by other countries the UK is expected to begin deliveries of 650 LMM (Lightweight Multirole Missiles) worth £162 million ($213 million) 80,840 engines and 1,300 warheads for CRV-7 missiles are due to arrive in Ukraine from Canada as well as 29 decommissioned M113 transporters and 64 Coyote LAVs for refit or spare parts Spain will donate a battery of the HAWK air defence system (six launchers are already thought to be in Poland) while the Netherlands will provide air-to-air missiles and maintenance material for F-16 fighters (the Dutch have estimated the value of their aid package at €80 million) Germany plans to deliver 12 PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers (six each in 2024 and 2025) and 77 Leopard 1A5 tanks Further announcements of military support for Ukraine also came in the days leading up to and just after the Ramstein meeting Norway announced the transfer of €48.2 million to the UK-coordinated International Fund for Ukraine (IFU) The funds will be used to purchase drones and air defence equipment Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that Germany had ordered 17 IRIS-T air defence systems for Kyiv from its own industry seven of which have already been delivered According to an anonymous source in the German government quoted by Bloomberg Berlin will hand over a total of 24 IRIS-T systems (12 each in SLM and SLS versions) by 2026 President Klaus Iohannis signed a law enabling the delivery of a Romanian Patriot system to Ukraine; the delivery date was not disclosed Portugal confirmed the dispatch of six Ka-32 firefighting helicopters to Ukraine which had already been announced in October 2022 Sweden announced its 17th support package worth €401.6 million It includes camouflage equipment for previously donated heavy weapons RBS 70 portable anti-aircraft missile sets grenade launchers and six CB90 fast landing and assault boats On 4 September, Ukraine and Ireland signed an Agreement on Support for Ukraine and Cooperation between Ukraine and Ireland the use of the phrase 'security cooperation' was dropped from the title The Irish side confirmed that it supported the supply of non-lethal military equipment with €122 million in 2022–2023 with at least an additional €40 million for humanitarian assistance Ireland will also provide demining equipment cooperate in the cyber security sphere and support the training of Ukrainian soldiers as part of the EUMAM Ukraine mission Kyiv has so far signed 26 bilateral agreements of this type Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Oleksandr Syrskyi indicated that the key objectives of the operation in the Kursk raion included stopping the Russians from preparing a new offensive from that direction drawing Russian forces away from other sections of the front creating a buffer zone to prevent the Russians from firing artillery into Ukrainian territory in the border area capturing prisoners of war and boosting the morale of Ukrainian soldiers and the population He added that Ukrainian forces are weaker in terms of armament and numbers than Russian forces Syrskyi announced that the priority was to recruit more soldiers he acknowledged that conscripts undergo a shortened training cycle (one month of basic military training followed by a minimum of half a month of specialised training) delays in US military aid have caused serious setbacks on the battlefield and contributed to a decline in morale the Ukrainian president announced that Ukrainian forces controlled 1,300 km2 of territory in Kursk Oblast Iranian MP for the Consultative Assembly and member of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani confirmed that Tehran supplies ballistic missiles to Russia in addition to Shahed drones Iran's charge d'affaires Shahriar Amouzegar was summoned to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry He was warned that continuing to supply arms to the Russian Federation would cause "irreversible consequences" in bilateral relations Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej In particular, Russian troops carried out another war crime, launching a massive drone attack on Poltava using Shahed UAVs, Ukrinform reports, citing the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces "The Russian military continues to terrorize Ukraine's civilian population Occupying forces have once again committed a war crime -- launching a large-scale attack on Poltava with Shahed drones," the statement reads The General Staff said that the enemy deliberately struck civilian infrastructure and administrative facilities within the oil and gas industry "The Russian aggressor cynically continues to lie about its alleged pursuit of peace while deliberately targeting civilian sites and endangering the lives of innocent people," the military said The statement notes that Russian forces commit war crimes in Ukraine daily -- crimes that have no statute of limitations documented and submitted to the relevant international institutions Punishment is inevitable," the General Staff said Earlier reports indicated that during the Russian drone attack causing power outages in some parts of the city According to Ukrinform, the State Emergency Service reported this on Facebook The Main Center for Special Monitoring detected the tremors at a depth of three kilometers Preliminary reports indicate no damage or casualties and no emergency calls were made to the State Emergency Service the Main Center for Special Monitoring registered a 3-magnitude earthquake at a depth of eight kilometers near the village of Vasky According to Ukrinform, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported this on Facebook The attack caused damage at six locations in the Poltava community: warehouses, administrative buildings, and a backup transformer were on fire The total area of the fires was 2,500 square meters There was no information about the victims As reported by Ukrinform, during the attack by Russian drones in Poltava, an industrial zone was hit and power was cut off in some areas of the city The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that the Russians had targeted civilian infrastructure residential buildings and administrative buildings of oil and gas companies in Poltava by Natalia YermakPolice detained a man who allegedly killed a draft officer in Poltava Oblast overnight on Jan (Poltava National Police / Official website)The Poltava Oblast National Police detained a man who allegedly shot a draft officer and escaped with another man overnight on Jan The armed attack happened at a fuel station near Pyriatyn during the escort of conscripts to the 199th training center, the Ukraine's Ground Forces said on Feb According to a Ground Forces statement an unidentified man wearing a gray balaclava and military pants approached a serviceman of the Poltava draft office threatening him with a hunting rifle and demanding that he hand over his weapon The soldier died on the spot as a result of a serious injury," the statement said The attacker seized the soldier's assault rifle and fled with one of the mobilized conscripts after the attack Within a few hours of search operations, the police established the location of the attackers, according to a statement by the Poltava Oblast National Police The man who allegedly shot the soldier was detained It also specified the shooter was a resident of Poltava region born in 1984 His accomplice was a resident of Poltava born in 1988 Police detained a man who allegedly killed a draft officer in Poltava Oblast on Jan (Poltava National Police / Official website)The prosecutor's office said it had launched a criminal investigation "The Ground Forces Command strongly condemns the armed attack on the serviceman of the Poltava Regional conscription office and demands a prompt investigation of this crime and severe punishment for the perpetrators," the Ground Forces wrote in their initial statement Ukraine has long struggled with manpower shortages on the front to compensate for losses and the need to rotate soldiers who have been on fighting since the start of the full-scale invasion Corrupt schemes uncovered throughout the full-scale invasion helping men avoid service have added to the difficulty of shoring up more soldiers for the war Natalia Yermak is a staff writer for the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a fixer-producer and contributing reporter for the New York Times since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion she worked in film production and documentary According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Facebook by the Poltava Regional Military Administration two outbuildings were destroyed as a result of a UAV crash,” the report says As Ukrinform reported, on March 8, a Russian drone attack destroyed civilian infrastructure in Poltava district Photo: Poltava Regional State Administration This was reported by the Poltava Regional Military Administration in Telegram “The enemy attacked Poltava region there were no hits to civilian objects and no casualties There is damage to the energy infrastructure in the Myrhorod district,” the statement said It is noted that 164 household and 1 legal consumer were left without electricity Experts are already working to restore power supply Earlier it was reported that an air alert was declared throughout Ukraine due to the threat of drones and ballistics Russia’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its deadly strike on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava targeted a drone and electronic warfare training center At least 53 people were killed and 298 others were injured in Tuesday’s attack on a military institute and nearby hospital in the central city of Poltava. Ukrainian authorities did not say how many of the victims were military or civilian “Russia’s armed forces carried out a precision strike on the 179th joint training center of the Ukrainian army in the city of Poltava,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a daily briefing The ministry claimed that Ukrainian communications and electronic warfare specialists as well as drone operators involved in strikes on Russian territory were being trained at the center “under the guidance of foreign instructors.” the Poltava military communications institute founded in the 1960s when Ukraine was still a part of the U.S.S.R. specializes in training telecommunications specialists The strike triggered anger on Ukrainian social media after unconfirmed reports said it had targeted an outdoor military ceremony with many blaming reckless behavior from officials who allowed the event to take place despite the threat of Russian attacks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had ordered a “full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances.” Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help please support us monthly starting from just $2 and every contribution makes a significant impact independent journalism in the face of repression The Poltava Regional Military Administration reported this on Facebook another person has died as a result of the strike on the residential building," the statement reads Ukrinform reported that eight people were killed in the Russian attack on a residential building in Poltava This was announced on the SBU’s website law enforcement officers prevented new attempts by Russia to obtain relevant data on the Defense Forces of Ukraine A 20-year-old resident of Radyvyliv was detained He collected information about units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine moving towards the front through the territory of the western region he recorded the approximate number of military equipment and its tactical characteristics where he attempted to establish the locations of operational airfields the invaders promised their informant evacuation to Russia and a passport A 58-year-old local woman was detained in Poltava for coordinating Russian missile and drone strikes on the city To ensure that the enemy could launch attacks outside the Ukrainian air defenses’ zone the woman collected data on the locations of radar stations outside the city She also reported on the results of enemy strikes cell phones with evidence of work for the Russians were seized from both detainees The SBU investigators issued suspicion notices under Part 2 of Article 114-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized dissemination of information on the relocation movement or location of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) the SBU detained three agents of the Russian special services who were coordinating missile strikes on the Ukrainian defense forces’ locations in the Kyiv Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES) announced this on Facebook Rescue and emergency operations are ongoing reports indicated two fatalities and seven injured in the attack This move comes in response to allegations of fund misappropriation related to illegal mining activities The Ukrainian Government has initiated steps to nationalise the Poltava mining and processing plant a key asset of UK-based iron ore producer Ferrexpo This action follows allegations of fund misappropriation related to illegal mining activities, reported Reuters Ferrexpo has been under scrutiny due to investigations into its main shareholder a Ukrainian businessman and former politician facing sanctions The investigations were launched by Ukrainian authorities to combat corruption a campaign that has intensified since Russia’s invasion in 2022 Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations announced its intention to appeal to the High Anti-Corruption Court seeking the nationalisation of the Poltava plant’s assets and corporate rights The bureau’s investigations have highlighted the misappropriation of more than Hrv370m ($8.86m) leading to the freezing of the plant’s property and corporate rights amid pre-trial investigations Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The bureau has proposed the nationalisation of 541 real estate objects in ownership of the plant and 172 land plots leased to the plant alongside the transfer of 49.5% of the authorised capital of the Poltava mining and processing plant to the state Ferrexpo has responded to these developments stating: “The company has not received any formal notification of such a claim and is working with its legal advisors to understand the situation.” Ferrexpo noted media reports of accusations by the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office against senior managers of Ferrexpo Belanovo Mining (FPM) for alleged illegal mining and sale of waste products The group maintains that operations are continuing as usual and considers the accusations against FPM to be “without merit” an operation with more than one billion tonnes (1bt) of JORC-compliant ore reserves manages both the mine and the group’s processing plant In 2021, the total volume mined at Poltava was around 80 million tonnes (mt), including 17mt of high-grade iron ore designated for processing. In October 2022, Ferrexpo temporarily halted production in Ukraine due to damage to state-run electrical infrastructure caused by Russian missile strikes Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. killing at least 51 people and wounding more than 270 It was one of the deadliest attacks since the war began in February 2022 Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting Mongolia despite an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) Ukraine has requested that Mongolia hand Putin over to the court in The Hague Here are the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine from Tuesday, September 3. This blog has now closed. 09/04/2024September 4, 2024Ukraine arms chief and other ministers resign in government shake-upAt least four Ukrainian officials submitted their resignations on Tuesday ahead of an anticipated government reshuffle, according to the speaker's office. Their requests will be considered in the next parliamentary session, parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook. The ministers who tendered their resignations were: Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Olga Stefanishyna, Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska, and Minister of the Environment Ruslan Strilets. Zelenskyy also dismissed Rostyslav Shurma, one of his deputy chiefs of staff whose portfolio is the economy, according to a decree published on the presidential website. David Arakhamia, a senior lawmaker for Zelenskyy's party, said there would be a "major government reset" that would see more than half of the ministers change. "As promised, a major government reset can be expected this week. More than 50 percent of the Cabinet of Ministers' staff will be changed," he wrote on Telegram. "Tomorrow we will have a day of dismissals, and the day after that a day of appointments," he said. Lawmakers and political analysts have expected major changes in the government since the summer began. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has suggested the possibility of streamlining the government and folding several portfolios into one ministry. 2024Death toll in Russian missile attack rises to more than 50Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address that the Russian strike on the city of Poltava Tuesday killed at least 51 people Earlier, Poltava Governor Philip Pronin said on messaging platform Telegram that 49 had been killed "Search teams continue to dismantle the rubble at the site," Pronin said Russian missile strike kills dozens in UkraineTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 2024IAEA's Grossi says discussed Kursk nuclear plant with ZelenskyyNuclear power plants should never be a military target Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi said after a visit to a Russian nuclear plant in Kursk and talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Safety concerns have been mounting since Ukraine launched its incursion into Kursk almost a month ago "I was shown some evidence of impact on the facility as well which indicates that there is an issue there with the security and the nuclear safety of the plant It is also something that I have been discussing with the government here," Grossi told DW on the sidelines of a press conference during a visit to Ukraine on Tuesday after he held talks with Zelenskyy Grossi elaborated on his meeting with Zelenskyy He understands very well and I don't think he disagrees at all on the fact that nuclear power plants should never be attacked," he added Concern over safety of nuclear plants in Ukraine and RussiaTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 09/03/2024September 3, 2024Germany condemns Poltava attack, says 'Putin knows no limits to brutality'German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock strongly condemned Russia's attack on the Ukrainian city of Poltava. Officials have called it the single deadliest Russian strike this year. "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin knows no limits to brutality," Baerbock said of the attack, which has killed more than 45 and injured over 200. "He should be held accountable." 09/03/2024September 3, 2024Ukrenergo board members resign, protesting 'politically motivated' dismissal of bossTwo members of the supervisory board of Ukraine's electricity grid operator, announced their resignation on Tuesday.  Chairman of the board Daniel Dobbeni and board member Peder Andreasen said in a statement published on Telegram that they believed the decision to dismiss the head of Ukrenergo was "politically motivated" and "unacceptable."  A move to dismiss Kudrytskyi was first reported by Forbes Ukraine and other outlets in Ukraine late last week; the Ukrenergo board voted by majority in favor of the move on Tuesday Dobbeni and Andreasen said they had submitted their resignation earlier on Wednesday.  Ukraine, Russia fight for control of energy infrastructureTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "We strongly believe that the decision on the early dismissal of the CEO of Ukrenergo is politically motivated and based on the results of the presented report there are no valid grounds for it," they said They argued it could also imperil support and cooperation with other European companies for Ukrenergo Russian attacks on Ukraine have often targeted its energy infrastructure and substations, with the government calling on the operator to improve security at such sites.  Kudrytskyi also commented on the matter on Wednesday. "The decision of the Supervisory Board to dismiss me has nothing to do with the security of Ukrenergo's substations," Kudrytskyi said, adding that while he couldn't go into details, aerial defense gear had been installed "almost at every substation."  He said Ukrenergo had fallen victim of anonymous Telegram channels and some media outlets looking to discredit it. 2024Zelenskyy orders 'full and prompt investigation' after strikeUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had ordered a "full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened," in the strike on Poltava Tuesday morning.  This followed critical responses and comments circulating on Ukrainian social media reacting to unconfirmed reports from Russian military bloggers saying the strike had targeted an outdoor military ceremony Some blamed reckless behavior from officials for purportedly holding such an open-air event despite the threat of Russian attacks.  The Poltava military communications institute founded in the 1960s when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union focuses on training telecommunications specialists The Defense Ministry said that one of the institute's buildings was partially destroyed Poltava's Governor Philip Pronin said his administration could not yet provide more details of the circumstances of the strike for security reasons.  "The enemy is using any means to bring Ukraine more pain and disorientate Ukrainians Please only trust reliable sources," he said.  The attack follows another recent scandal for Ukraine's military command, with Zelenskyy last week dismissing the head of the air force Mykola Oleshchuk following the crash of a US-made F-16 jet during a defensive operation.  09/03/2024September 3, 2024Zelenskyy: 41 dead in attack on hospital, educational facilityUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel that at least 41 people had died and 180 were injured following a strike in the central Poltava region. He reported that one Russian ballistic missile hit a hospital and the other an educational facility. "One of the buildings of the [Poltava Military] Institute of Communications was partially destroyed. People found themselves under the rubble. Many were saved," Zelenskyy said. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said at least 25 people had been rescued from the rubble. 2024Romania to donate Patriot missile system to UkraineRomania's lower house of parliament has approved a draft law that would see one of its two operational Patriot missile defense systems donated to Kyiv The bill is expected to be approved by the Romanian Senate and then will be signed into law by President Klaus Iohannis Romania shares a 650-km (400 mile) border with Ukraine and debris from destroyed Russian drones has increasingly been found within its territory The missile defense system is one of five that NATO has pledged to give Ukraine. 09/03/2024September 3, 2024Russia convicts scientist of treasonPhysicist Alexander Shiplyuk, 57, is the latest scientist in Russian to be handed a hefty prison sentence following a treason conviction. The director of a top Siberian science institute and an expert in hypersonic missiles, Shiplyuk has been given a 15-year prison sentence. Two of his colleagues, Anatoly Maslov and Valery Zvegintsev, have also been detained on similar charges. Maslov, 78, was given a 14-year sentence in May. Lawyers for the latter two scientists said that the men did not even work on weapons development, and that they were being targeted for simply collaborating with foreign scientists on projects. 09/03/2024September 3, 2024Putin invites Mongolia to upcoming BRICS summitRussian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh in UlaanbaatarImage: Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik/REUTERSRussian President Vladimir Putin invited his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh to the next BRICS summit in October BRICS is a group of major emerging economies that includes Brazil They are due to meet in the Russian city of Kazan Putin said he was eager to discuss economic cooperation with Mongolia at the meeting Some BRICS members have publicly called for an end to the war in Ukraine but have done litte behind the scenes to push Putin to agree to a truce Countries like India and Brazil have employed a loose bilateralism between Russia and the West Mongolia hosts Putin despite arrest warrantTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 09/03/2024September 3, 2024Three die in Russian barrageRussia continued its stepped-up shelling campaign overnight, claiming two lives in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia and another in the central city of Dnipro. One of those killed in Zaporizhzhia was an eight-year-old boy. There were 313 attacks in Zaporizhzhia area in the past 24 hours, army officials there said.  The military said it was about to shoot down 27 of 35 armed drones that Russia launched across Ukraine overnight. 2024Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet Mongolian presidentRussian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with Mongolian President Uchnaagiin Chürelsüch on Tuesday Putin traveled to the country at the Mongolian leader's invitation to strengthen cooperation between the two nations Putin landed in the country on Monday evening. This is Putin's first visit to a member country of the International Criminal Court since it issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader in 2023 Mongolia has close cultural links to Moscow and important trade links with China It has not condemned Russia's war in Ukraine and has abstained during votes on the conflict at the UN.  09/03/2024September 3, 2024UN nuclear watchdog chief set to visit Zaporizhzhia plant and meet with Zelenskyy in KyivUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with the director of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday that he was on his way to the plant to continue assistance to avoid any nuclear accident Grossi will then travel to the Ukrainian capital city Kyiv to meet with Zelenskyy Grossi is visiting the nuclear plant after Ukraine and Russia last month blamed each other after a fire broke out at the plant There was no reported harm to nuclear safety at the time Zaporizhzhia is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and has been under Russian control since 2022 The plant has not produced any power for the last two years and all six of its reactors are in cold shutdown Zelenskyy said he did not see a safe way to regain control of the nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine "It is safer for Ukraine to control the Zaporizhzhia plant Ukraine: School year starts under Russian strikesTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times This was reported on Facebook by the Poltava Regional Military Administration “The death toll in Poltava has increased to 7 people 22 people were rescued,” the post reads security forces and public utilities are working at the scene almost 100 units of equipment are involved Psychologists of the SES and National Police units provided assistance to 114 people As reported earlier, five people were killed in a missile attack on Poltava Poltava and the region have declared three days of mourning for the victims of the missile strike Apartment block in Poltava hit in drone and missile attacks as Zelenskyy repeats plea for more air defences killing at least 15This article is more than 3 months oldApartment block in Poltava hit in drone and missile attacks as Zelenskyy repeats plea for more air defences Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles against Ukraine on Saturday killing at least 15 people and damaging dozens of residential buildings as well as energy infrastructure across the country a Russian missile struck a residential building adding that 22 people were rescued from rubble and emergency crews worked well into the night In Kharkiv, north-eastern Ukraine, one person was killed and four wounded in a drone attack, the mayor said. Three police officers were killed during attacks as they patrolled streets in a village in the north-eastern region of Sumy, regional officials said. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy attack drones and aerial bombs in carrying out the overnight attacks on Ukrainian targets and they showed “we need more support in defending ourselves against Russian terror” said Russian forces were “likely leveraging ballistic missiles in strike packages since Ukraine only has a few air defence systems suitable for intercepting such missiles” Russian forces struck a boarding school housing people preparing for evacuation in a part of Russia’s Kursk region held by Ukrainian forces Zelenskyy said the attack destroyed the boarding school in the border town of Sudzha “even though dozens of civilians were there” The Ukrainian military’s general staff said on Saturday said that as of 10pm rescue efforts were proceeding and 84 people had been rescued from the rubble or received medical assistance with four of the injured in a serious condition Russia’s defence ministry blamed Ukrainian forces for the strike A Ukrainian drone attack killed a civilian in the Russian region of Belgorod bordering Ukraine “He died from his injuries before the ambulance crew arrived,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram The attack took place in the village of Malinovka An explosion at a Ukrainian army recruitment centre in the western city of Rivne killed one person and wounded six Authorities did not say what caused the explosion at 4.15pm local time on Saturday or reveal details on the casualties There was no air alert over Rivne at the time according to the regional governor’s Telegram channel A man with a hunting rifle shot dead a Ukrainian army recruitment soldier and escaped with a conscript on Saturday before both were caught by police The recruitment official was escorting mobilised men to a training centre and had stopped at a petrol station in the Poltava region when the incident took place Moscow claimed its forces were pressing in on the key eastern Ukrainian city of Toretsk whose capture would enable Russia to obstruct Ukrainian supply routes Russia’s defence ministry said on Saturday its troops “liberated” the village of Krymske in the north-eastern suburbs of Toretsk especially if Kyiv can agree to a truce with Russia in the coming months Donald Trump’s top Ukraine official has said Keith Kellogg said Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections “Most democratic nations have elections in their time of war I think it is important they do so,” said Kellogg Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia which constitutionally does not allow elections Trump and Kellogg have both said they are working on a plan to broker a deal in the first several months of the new administration to end the three-year-old war Volodymyr Zelenskyy said excluding Ukraine from talks between the US and Russia about the war in Ukraine would be “very dangerous” and asked for more discussions between Kyiv and Washington to develop a plan for a ceasefire Speaking to the Associated Press on Saturday the Ukrainian president said Russia did not want to engage in ceasefire talks or to discuss any kind of concessions which the Kremlin interpreted as losing at a time when its troops had the upper hand on the battlefield Zelenskyy said Donald Trump could bring Vladimir Putin to the table with the threat of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy and banking system as well as continued support of the Ukrainian military “I think these are the closest and most important steps,” he said following Trump’s comments on Friday that American and Russian officials were “already talking” about ending the war “Unesco condemns the missile attack on the historic centre of Odesa last night severely damaging at least two cultural buildings placed under Unesco conventions’ protection,” the UN agency said “Our team is already at work to promptly support the urgent documentation of damage and identify with the Ukrainian authorities the required emergency interventions,” it said adding that a Unesco mission would be deployed to Odesa An overnight Russian missile strike hit gas infrastructure in Ukraine’s central Poltava region A statement by the country's air force said Russia carried out a combined missile strike overnight on gas production facilities in the Poltava region ballistic and guided missiles were launched The Poltava Regional Military Administration said nine settlements in the region’s Myrhorod district were left without gas supply due to the attack Ukraine’s national oil and gas company Naftogaz said its production facilities in Poltava were damaged “The Naftogaz Group is taking all necessary measures to stabilize the situation with gas supply in the Poltava region,” the company said in a statement Ukraine's power grid operator Ukrenergo said it implemented emergency power outages across the country The Russian Defense Ministry said it launched a group strike on Ukraine overnight which damaged gas and energy facilities supporting the country’s military-industrial complex and other military facilities According to Ukrinform, the State Emergency Service (SES) reported this on Telegram "The death toll in Poltava has risen to 11 (one person died in the hospital)," the post reads including four children; 22 people were rescued from under the rubble "Rescuers continue emergency and rescue operations," SES added Earlier, the Poltava Regional Military Administration reported on Telegram that at 22:30 10 people had been confirmed dead as a result of the Russian missile strike on a residential building A three-day mourning period for the victims has been declared in Poltava and the region Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations At least 50 people were killed and 271 wounded when Russia hit a military institute in Ukraine’s central town of Poltava with two ballistic missiles on Tuesday (3 September) the war’s deadliest single attack this year News Service Produced externally by an organization we trust to adhere to journalistic standards At least 50 people were killed and 271 wounded when Russia hit a military institute in Ukraine's central city of Poltava with two ballistic missiles on 3 September 2024