Zelenskyy Dismisses Ukrainian Air Force Chief After Deadly F-16 Crash

Zelenskyy reports over 40 fatalities in Russian missile strike on Poltava

September 3, 2024 TruthUSA

The Ukrainian president reported that two Russian ballistic missiles struck the central Ukrainian city on Sept. 3.

At least 180 people were wounded and another 41 were killed after a pair of Russian ballistic missiles struck Poltava on Sept. 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in a taped address posted on X.

The number of dead and wounded continues to rise in the central Ukrainian city as local authorities continue to search the rubble, he said.

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska raised the casualty assessment to 206 wounded and 47 killed in her own press statement on X just two hours later.

The Epoch Times cannot independently confirm the casualty assessments at this time.

Zelenskyy said the pair of Russian ballistic missiles targeted an educational institution and damaged a nearby hospital and the office space for a telecommunications institute.

The Russian Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on the reported Poltava strikes.

Russia “will surely pay for this strike,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader urged his Western backers to arm his forces with additional air defense systems to blunt continuing Russian missile and drone barrages.

“Ukraine needs air defense systems and missiles now, not sitting in storage. Long-range strikes that can protect us from Russian terror are needed now, not later. Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lost lives,” Zelenskyy said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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