MOSCOW, July 24. Russian forces have launched a group attack on facilities near Kyiv where drones used in attacks on civilian targets in Russia were being demonstrated, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Friday.
Statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense
The Russian Armed Forces carried out a strike using high-precision long-range weapons on facilities on the outskirts of Kyiv, where Ukrainian and foreign-made unmanned aerial vehicles, including advanced models used in attacks on civilian infrastructure in Russia, were being demonstrated, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. At the time of the attack, developers of drones, officials from the Ukrainian command of unmanned systems, and also special services planning attacks on Russia were present at the facility, the ministry said.
Attack on a Training Ground
According to the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers (an association of the defense industry), the attack was aimed at an area "where representatives of the Ukrainian defense industry were present." Several people were killed and injured, the agency reported. The council also stated that information about the whereabouts of those involved has not been disclosed. Valery Borovik, founder of the defense manufacturer First Contact, announced a "very serious strike" on the training ground where weapons were located. In a Facebook post (Facebook is banned in Russia due to its ownership by Meta, which has been designated as an extremist organization), independent advisor to Vladimir Zelensky and specialist in communications and unmanned systems, Sergei Beskrestnov, also known as Sergey Flash, confirmed that the attack took place. And who exactly was at the training ground? According to Ukrainian media, defense companies were demonstrating their products to the military at the training ground. According to the Ukrainian Council of Arms Manufacturers, representatives of the Ukrainian defense industry were present at the training ground when it was hit. Ukrainian media also reported that Beskrestnov, known as Sergey Flash, was also there.
Reaction from Kyiv
In Ukraine, a criminal investigation has been launched for negligence following the attack on the training ground near Kyiv, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. According to Kravchenko, investigators are tasked with identifying those who decided and agreed on the location, time, and format of the event, as well as what security measures were taken. Ukrainian military structures deny responsibility. The display of military equipment at the training ground near Kyiv, which was hit by the attack, took place "at a private site," and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were not responsible for its security or for organizing the event, said Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army told the local media outlet Obshchestvennoye that this "facility does not fall under the jurisdiction of the armed forces" and that the General Staff has nothing to do with the event or ensuring its safety.