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Ten killed in Russian strike on drone exhibition near Kyiv

Russian attacks killed at least 15 people in Ukraine, including 10 at a drone exhibition near Kyiv, while Ukraine struck targets in Russia and Romania downed a Russian drone.

·3 min read
Emergency services clear through the rubble following a Russian missile strike just outside of Kyiv. Firefighters can be seen extinguishing a car fire in the background

At least 15 people have been killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine, including 10 who died in ballistic missile strikes on an exhibition near Kyiv showcasing drone technology. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said some 100 people were injured in the daytime attack on the exhibition, which was attended by prominent members of the defence sector.

Elsewhere, five people were killed in the eastern city of Sloviansk by Russian glide bombs. Meanwhile, an overnight Ukrainian strike killed six people and wounded 26 in the Russian city of Kirov, more than 1,000km (600 miles) behind the front line. Ukraine also attacked warehouses of Wildberries, Russia's biggest online retailer.

After the attacks near Kyiv, there were initially fears for the safety of Defence Ministry adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov, aka Flash, and Lyuba Shypovych, who has been involved in developing technology for the Ukrainian army.

Following the incident, both took to social media to confirm they were OK, and Beskrestnov said he had stayed away from the event because of security concerns.

Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuri Ihnat told Ukrainian TV the attack involved three ballistic missiles, only one of which was intercepted.

This is at least the third time since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 that an exhibition of this kind has been hit.

There has been widespread outrage that a public event of this kind was being held at all and had, apparently, been widely advertised.

President Zelensky said the incident was being investigated, while Ukraine's prosecutor-general said efforts were under way to establish who decided to hold the event and what safety measures were in place.

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The scene of a Russian missile strike just outside of Kyiv where six people were killed and dozens injured on Friday

The damage to a building and a pile of rubble at the scene of a Russian missile strike just outside of Kyiv
Image caption, The scene of a Russian missile strike just outside of Kyiv where six people were killed and dozens injured on Friday

The attack came hours after the Ukrainian strikes on a factory in the city of Kirov and warehouses in north-west Russia.

Zelensky said

"one of the most important military facilities"
in Kirov supplying
"components for aircraft and missile equipment"
used in strikes against Ukraine had been hit.

Friday's attacks on at least two Wildberries facilities in the St Petersburg area were the latest of several over the past week.

The attacks on the retailer have dealt a blow to a large number of small and medium-sized businesses within Russia.

After months of drone attacks on oil depots and refineries, Kyiv says it is targeting logistics hubs - such as those run by Wildberries - because they can be used to buy military equipment, in order to disrupt supplies to the Russian army.

A screenshot from Wildberries' website taken several hours after the latest Ukrainian attacks shows a wide range of body armour is available to buy from the retailer

A screenshot from Wildberries' website shows a wide range of body armour is available to buy from the retailer. Photo: 22 July 2026
Image caption, A screenshot from Wildberries' website taken several hours after the latest Ukrainian attacks shows a wide range of body armour is available to buy from the retailer

Meanwhile, Romanian President Nicusor Dan said a Romanian F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian drone breaching the country's airspace on Friday.

The Romanian authorities had earlier issued alerts across several eastern and south-eastern areas.

This article was sourced from bbc

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