Russian Forces Strike Drone Facility Near Kiev

MOSCOW, July 24. Russian forces carried out a group strike on a facility outside Kiev where drones used in attacks on civilian targets in Russia were demonstrated, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Russian Defense Ministry’s statement

The Russian Armed Forces carried out a strike using high-precision long-range weapons on a facility in a suburb of Kiev where Ukrainian-and foreign-made unmanned aerial vehicles, including advanced models, that are used in strikes on civilian facilities in Russia were demonstrated, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

At the time of the strike, drone developers, officials of Ukraine's unmanned systems command, as well as the special services that plan attacks on Russia were present at the facility, the ministry said.

Strike on training ground

According to the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths (a defense industry association), the strike targeted an area "where representatives of the Ukrainian defense industry were present."

Several people were killer and wounded, it said.

The council also said that information about the participants' whereabouts had not been disclosed publicly.

Valery Borovik, founder of the defense manufacturer First Contact, reported a "very serious strike" on the training ground where weapons were located.

In a Facebook post, Vladimir Zelensky’ freelance adviser and specialist in the area of communications and unmanned systems Sergey Beskrestnov, also known by the call sign Sergey Flash, confirmed that the strike had taken place.

Who was at the training ground

According to the Ukrainian media, defense companies were showcasing their products to the military at the training ground.

According to the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths, representatives of Ukraine’s defense industry were present at the training ground when it was hit.

Ukrainian media outlets also said that Beskrestnov, known by the call sign Sergey Flash, was also there.

Reaction

A criminal case was opened in Ukraine on charges of dereliction of duty following an attack on the training ground near Kiev, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said.

According to Kravchenko, investigators are to identify those who made the decision and agreed on the venue, time, and format of the event, and which security measures were taken.

Ukrainian military structures’ denial of responsibility

The display of military equipment at the training ground near Kiev that was hit by the strike took place "at a private site," and the Ukrainian armed forces were not responsible for its security or for organizing the event, air force spokesman Yury Ignat said.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian army told the local Obshchestvennoye media outlet that this "facility is not under the jurisdiction of the Defense Forces" and that the General Staff has nothing to do with the event or to ensuring its security.