Harshad Patel
Polina Melnyk and Ihor Tkachov were eating breakfast on a typical Tuesday morning in their Poltava apartment when they heard the whistle of a missile fly over their building, followed by two loud explosions. As volunteer medics with experience working at frontline stabilization points, they immediately recognized the sound of an attack. Quickly assessing that the military communications institute had been hit, they jumped into their car and rushed to offer assistance.
When they arrived, they were met with a scene of devastation unlike anything they had encountered. The missile attack had occurred just as soldiers were gathering outside the institute, killing and injuring many. With no stretchers available, they witnessed people carrying the wounded on improvised means, and a bloodied truck left for the hospital. Screams filled the air as some victims were missing limbs or eyes, while others lay quietly, bleeding out.
Melnyk and Tkachov tried to save as many as they could, performing makeshift triage by applying tourniquets to stop the worst bleeding. Ambulances rushed to the scene, but for many, it was too late.
The attack would be one of the deadliest of the war, with 55 reported dead and over 300 injured. The institute, a critical training facility for Ukrainian soldiers specializing in electronics and battlefield communications, became a target of one of Russia’s most devastating strikes in recent months.
The incident raised serious questions. Despite officials claiming that soldiers were evacuating when the missile struck, there was widespread shock that so many people were gathered at a known military facility during an air raid. Ukraine’s military announced an investigation to determine whether proper precautions had been taken to protect lives, fueling further grief and anger.
This attack on a clear military target stood in contrast to Russia’s broader air campaign, which has frequently targeted civilian infrastructure and residential areas. On the same day, a missile strike in Lviv hit a civilian neighborhood, killing seven, including children.
Ukrainian officials believe that Russia’s strategy is to spread air defense systems thin by launching waves of drones and missiles across the country, making it difficult to defend every area.
In response to these continued air assaults, Ukraine has consistently called for more air defense systems from its allies. On Friday, the UK announced that it would send 650 additional missile systems to help Ukraine bolster its air defenses.
The announcement came just days after the Poltava and Lviv attacks, with UK officials emphasizing the importance of defending Ukraine from further strikes on both military and civilian targets.
Even with these new defense systems, airstrikes remain a constant threat, especially in regions like Poltava where attacks have been less frequent. Hospitals in the area were overwhelmed, treating dozens of critically injured victims from the strike.
Among them were two young men, Evhen and Maksym, who had been at the institute for training. Their families anxiously watched over them, hoping for their recovery as they faced long paths to healing after sustaining severe injuries.
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