On Tuesday, September 3, 2024, a Ukranian military facility and hospital were attacked by a missile strike launched by Russian forces.
Killing more than 50 people and wounding around 200 citizens, two Russian missiles hit both a military academy and a hospital in Poltava, Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reported that damage was also done to one of the buildings occupied by the Poltava Military institute of Communication. This was declared one of the deadliest attacks done onto Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. As a result, rescue groups and other organizations are scavenging through the debris, trying to clear everything and find bodies. “Poltava is experiencing a terrible day today,” said the Ukranian Defense Ministry. ““The time interval between the alarm and the arrival of the deadly missiles was so short that it caught people at the moment of evacuation to the bomb shelter.”
However, the sudden attacks didn’t stop there. The next day, Russian forces attacked Lviv, a city in western Ukraine. Established on the border between Ukraine and Poland, Lviv seems to be a new point of attack for Russia. Reuters, a well-trusted news agency, stated that Lviv has had to release jet fighters for the third time within a week to defend their airspace. Amidst another Russian missile attack , Lviv suffered the deaths of seven people, resulting from Russian strikes aimed towards Lviv’s energy infrastructure, causing various outages in that area. Labeling it as a “terrorist attack”, President Zelenskyy was outraged. That same day, Russian missiles were also deployed onto Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, although no immense damage was reported.
“I have ordered a full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened,” said President Zelenskyy as a response to the tragedy. “All necessary services are involved in the rescue operation.” After the destruction of the buildings in Poltava, Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, states that rescuers were able to pull out eleven people out of the rubble, reiterating that the rescue efforts remain continuous. While Russia has yet to release a statement on its actions, the Ukranian first lady, Olena Zelenska, sends her condolences through social media stating, “This is a shocking tragedy for the whole Ukraine.”
President Zelenskyy urges his international allies, such as the United States and other European countries, to be swift on their promise of aid. “Ukraine needs air defense systems and missiles now, not sitting in storage. Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not later. Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lost lives,” he said through a social media post.
President Biden released a statement Tuesday evening addressing the chaos at hand. “I condemn this deplorable attack in the strongest possible terms. This assault is a tragic reminder of Putin’s ongoing and outrageous attempts to break the will of a free people. But for two and a half years, the people of Ukraine have stood unbowed. And the United States will continue stand with them—including providing the air defense systems and capabilities they need to protect their country.” According to the White House National Security Communications Advisor, John Kirby, the U.S promised to send more military aid to Kyiv in the incoming future.
