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Drone Expo Hit Near Kyiv
Russian forces struck a defense-industry exhibition near Kyiv on July 24, killing at least 10 people and injuring close to 100, according to the Washington Post and Ukrainian officials.
The attack hit a private training ground where a drone technology event was taking place, and Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat later said the strike occurred at a private sports complex, not a military training range.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that acting regional governor Ruslan Oliinyk said a ballistic missile hit the Bucha district and that his preliminary figures included 27 private homes and 44 vehicles damaged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said rescue operations were continuing in the Kyiv region and that authorities were working to determine exactly what had happened and the condition of those affected, while Russia’s Defense Ministry said it struck a facility near Kyiv where unmanned aerial vehicles were being displayed.
Outrage, Investigations, and Claims
Ukrainian officials and outlets described the strike as a deliberate attack on a defense expo, with the Kyiv Independent quoting Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko saying, "These were brutal attacks on civilians, and the Russians must be held accountable for them."
The Kyiv Independent also reported that Zelensky wrote on X in response to the strike, "These were brutal attacks on civilians, and the Russians must be held accountable for them," while the Russian Defense Ministry claimed it had deliberately targeted an exhibition showcasing Ukrainian and foreign-made drones.
The BBC said the Russian Defence Ministry stated high-precision long-range weaponry was used on a site where drones for use in targeting civil sites in Russia were being demonstrated, and that it claimed producers of drones and representatives of Ukraine’s drone forces were present.
The BBC further noted that 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.
What’s at Stake Next
Ukraine’s prosecutor-general Ruslan Kravchenko said his office opened investigations into the strike and into possible negligence in organizing and holding the event, and Anadolu Ajansı reported that the probe included "improper performance of official duties during the organization and conduct of the event."
The Kyiv Independent said Kravchenko’s office opened two criminal investigations, including into a possible violation of the laws and customs of war, and it reported that no details about the event or its location were publicly available before the attack.
The BBC said there had been widespread outrage that a public event of this kind was being held at all and that it had, apparently, been widely advertised, while it also reported that Zelensky said the incident was being investigated.
Beyond the Kyiv region, the BBC reported that Zelensky said an overnight Ukrainian strike killed six people and wounded 26 in the Russian city of Kirov, and it said Ukraine attacked warehouses of Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online retailer.
