Kyiv Dorm Strike Leaves 1 Dead, 10 Injured as Ceasefire Nears
Missiles hit the State University of Trade and Economics dormitory in Kyiv late on October 26, injuring at least 10 people, most of them students, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed allies for air defense systems.
By Luca Stewart ·
Russian missiles struck Kyiv late on October 26.
At least one person was killed and 10 were injured when Russian strikes hit a university dormitory and other civilian buildings across the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. "Most of whom were students from a university dormitory," Klitschko said of those hurt. The university identified as struck is the State University of Trade and Economics, one of Kyiv's largest schools with more than 15,000 students.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said delays in supplying Ukraine with air defense systems were enabling attacks on civilian areas. "It is precisely under such circumstances, when the threat is constant, when strikes can come at any moment and target cities and villages directly, that artificial delays in providing air defense to Ukraine help terror," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on social media. He added that Ukraine needs "the proper tools to destroy Russian ballistic missile launchers" to save lives. Zelenskyy has said previously that agreed deliveries of interceptors for Patriot air-defense systems have not arrived.
The strikes come ahead of a US-negotiated cease-fire set to begin in the eastern city of Oleshky. A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has been pressing the White House on Ukraine defense support and challenging President Donald Trump's decision to ease restrictions on Russian energy imports.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats have raised concerns over the administration's authorization of transactions involving Russian diesel fuel and reports that Ukraine's access to SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield satellite communications systems had been restricted. Ukrainian officials said the disruptions affected military operations and reported in recent days that satellite connection speeds were restored. It remains unclear who imposed the restrictions.
Russian officials deny targeting civilian infrastructure despite evidence to the contrary, in a conflict that began with Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Source: RFE/RL
