Kyiv probe launched after missile strike kills ten at defence exhibition
At least ten people were killed and approximately 100 injured when Russian missiles struck a drone technology showcase near the capital on 24 July 2026.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding a Russian ballistic missile strike on a drone technology exhibition near Kyiv, which killed at least ten people and injured approximately 100 others. The daytime attack on 24 July 2026 targeted an event attended by prominent figures in the defence industry, prompting questions regarding the authorisation of the public gathering and the safety measures in place.
Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuri Ihnat confirmed that three ballistic missiles were used in the assault, with only one intercepted. The incident marks at least the third time since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022 that a similar exhibition has been targeted. Widespread outrage has emerged regarding the decision to hold a widely advertised public event of this nature amidst ongoing hostilities.
President Zelensky stated that the prosecutor-general is working to establish who authorised the event and what security protocols were followed. Defence Ministry adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov and Lyuba Shypovych, who were initially feared to be at the site, confirmed via social media that they were unharmed. Beskrestnov noted he had stayed away from the event due to security concerns.
Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the strike, claiming it used high-precision long-range weaponry against a site where drones intended for targeting civil sites in Russia were being demonstrated. The ministry asserted that producers of drones and representatives of Ukraine’s security services, who were allegedly planning strikes on Russian territory, were present.
The attack occurred amidst a broader escalation of hostilities. Russian glide bombs killed five people in Sloviansk, while Ukrainian strikes on Friday evening killed six and wounded 26 in the Russian city of Kirov, targeting a factory supplying components for aircraft and missile equipment. Ukraine also attacked warehouses belonging to the retailer Wildberries in the St Petersburg area, disrupting logistics hubs used to supply the Russian army.
Amidst these developments, Romanian President Nicusor Dan reported that a Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian drone breaching airspace on Friday. Meanwhile, President Zelensky is expected to travel to the United States next week to meet President Donald Trump, with peace talks expected to be a key agenda item.
