Kumar Bahukhandi
A burning car at the site of an air attack in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
The strike drew a backlash from many in Ukraine’s defence industry and officials, some of whom implied that the event had been poorly organised and demanded accountability
KYIV: Russia struck an arms show near Kyiv on Friday, killing at least 10 people and wounding a hundred, Ukrainian officials said, raising questions around the safety of such events.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko announced a criminal inquiry to establish “who made the decision to hold the event… and whether the risks were properly assessed under martial law”.
An AFP reporter saw at least five bodies covered in black sheets near the shooting range that hosted the event.
Promotional tents still stood inside the courtyard of the shooting range, with drones displayed beneath them, while a screen kept playing a weapon company’s promotional video.
Behind a vehicle, a dead man lay on the ground, his face bloodied, while people gathered around him.
Russia, which has targeted Ukrainian training grounds and military events throughout the war, said it had struck an arms exposition showcasing “Ukrainian and foreign-made unmanned aerial vehicles”.
Among the models on display were drones “used to strike civilian targets within Russian territory”, it said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily address that Russia used a ballistic missile, adding that the arms event “certainly should not have been taking place there”.
“In such wartime conditions and against such an enemy, it is absolutely impossible to hold any arms exhibitions — with large crowds of people, and certainly not near residential buildings,” he said.
The strike drew a backlash from many in Ukraine’s defence industry and officials, some of whom implied that the event had been poorly organised and demanded accountability.
Presidential advisor Sergiy Beskrestnov criticised organisers of events that don’t provide shelters and advertise themselves on social media.
Andriy Grytseniuk, head of Ukraine’s state-backed defence group Brave1, urged “everyone involved in the defence industry to urgently review and reinforce their safety protocols”.
At the scene, local official Alla Lakhmaniuk expressed anger, telling AFP the municipality had not given permission for the event. “Everyone is very upset that such an event was held right next to residential housing…
If you are going to hold such events, they must be in a safe place,” she said. Homes right next to the shooting range were in ruins. Debris and burned apples from a destroyed tree lay scattered across the ground.
Natalia Perevalova’s roof was badly damaged, and windows had been blown out, but she found some silver lining. “Just at that time the grandkids weren’t at home.
I’m very grateful to God,” she said, hugging a tiny black dog.
( Source : AFP )
