Russia Missiles Kill 10 at Kyiv Drone Exhibition

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- Russian ballistic missile strikes killed 10 people at a drone technology exhibition near Kyiv and injured around 100, according to President Zelensky, in a daytime attack on prominent members of the Ukrainian defence sector.
- Ukraine's air force said three ballistic missiles were launched at the exhibition, with only one intercepted, according to spokesman Yuri Ihnat.
- Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the strike, saying high-precision long-range weapons targeted a site where drones used in attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure were being demonstrated.
- Russian glide bombs killed five more people in the eastern city of Sloviansk, while two men died in the northern city of Sumy, bringing the day's Ukrainian death toll to at least 15.
- Ukraine struck back at a military facility in Kirov — more than 1,000km behind the front line — killing six and wounding 26, with Zelensky calling it "one of the most important military facilities" supplying aircraft and missile components.
- Ukrainian forces hit at least two Wildberries warehouses in the St Petersburg area for the second consecutive week, targeting logistics hubs Kyiv says are used to supply the Russian military.
- Zelensky said he had received intelligence that Russia was preparing another massive missile strike within 48 hours, as he prepared to travel to Washington to meet President Trump on Tuesday to revive peace talks.
Why it matters: The strike on a publicly-advertised defense exhibition — at least the third such attack since Russia's 2022 invasion — has triggered a domestic probe into who authorized the event and what safety measures were in place, adding a domestic accountability crisis to Zelensky's diplomatic push as he meets Trump to argue for continued US support.



