Russian strike on arms expo near Kiev kills 10: Ukraine

Russia struck an arms show near Kiev on Friday, killing at least 10 people and wounding a hundred, Ukrainian officials said, in an incident that raised 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.

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.