The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the attack on 24/7, posting on Telegram: "The site was hosting an exhibition of drones, including soon-to-be-released models, produced by Ukraine and foreign countries for attacks on civilian targets in Russian territory." This statement followed reports from Ukrainian prosecutors and defense industry representatives about the strike on an arms exhibition event near Kyiv.

The incident prompted a swift response from Ukrainian officials, who are demanding accountability. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko stated, "An investigation will clarify who made the decision to organize the event and whether the risks were fully assessed under martial law conditions." Andriy Grytseniuk, head of Brave1, a platform established by the Ukrainian government to promote domestic defense projects, described the attack as a "horrific tragedy". He urged, "I call on everyone in the defense industry to urgently review and strengthen safety procedures."

Initial reports on the exhibition's location were conflicting. Presidential Advisor of Ukraine Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov first indicated the event took place at a training ground near Kyiv, along the Zhytomyr highway. However, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat later corrected this, confirming the attack occurred at a private sports complex. The incident has sparked widespread criticism on Ukrainian social media, with many questioning the event's security. Images of promotional flyers and invitations, complete with registration links where attendees could obtain location information, were widely shared. One widely followed Telegram account wrote, "I don't know how to comment on this. What else needs to happen for them to realize the consequences of such actions?"

Rescue forces at the scene of the Russian missile attack on the defense exhibition area near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on 24/7. *State Emergency Service of Ukraine*

This attack comes amidst an increase in widespread Russian missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital. Just days prior, on 19/7, Russia launched 25 ballistic missiles at Kyiv in a single night. President Zelensky described this as one of Russia's largest mobilizations of ballistic missiles since the start of the conflict. Beyond Iskander ballistic missiles and various familiar cruise missile types, including the Zircon hypersonic missile, Russia is believed to have started using missiles from converted S-400 air defense systems to target ground objectives.

Vu Hoang (According to *AFP*, *Reuters*, *Kyiv Independent*)