At least 51 people have lost their lives, and 271 others have been injured following a Russian missile strike on Poltava, a city in central Ukraine. The strike hit a military academy and a nearby hospital, resulting in the tragic loss of military personnel, as confirmed by Ukraine's land forces.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that there was insufficient time for people to reach bomb shelters after the air raid alarms were triggered. In response to the attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed that those responsible would face consequences, reiterating the need for enhanced air defenses to protect Ukraine.

Eyewitnesses described the devastation caused by the missiles. Mykyta Petrov, a 26-year-old cadet at the Poltava Military Communications Institute, recalled the horrifying moments of the attack. He had just started his training two weeks prior when the missiles struck, leaving smoke, dust, and countless casualties in their wake.

Reports initially suggested that cadets were participating in a military parade at the time of the attack, but this was later denied by the Ministry of Defense. Instead, it was confirmed that alarms had sounded just minutes before the explosions, giving people limited time to seek shelter.

Among those caught in the chaos was 30-year-old Jana Kulishova, who was unable to reach a shelter in time. With her husband fighting on the front lines in the Donbas region, the attack felt deeply personal to her. She expressed concern for the soldiers still trapped under the rubble, knowing that their families are anxiously waiting for news.

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko highlighted the impossibility of reaching safety within the two minutes between the alarm and the missile impact, describing the situation as intolerable.

In the aftermath of the strike, investigations are underway to determine whether sufficient measures were in place to protect those at the military facility. The authorities have pledged to increase safety protocols at military sites to prevent further tragedies.

The scene in Poltava remains tense as firefighters work to clear debris and search for survivors. Residents like Olena Serdyuk and Anastasiia Artyukh shared their fear and frustration, as the lack of accessible bomb shelters left them vulnerable during the attack.

Poltava's regional governor, Philip Pronin, condemned the missile strike as a "cunning and cynical Russian attack" and noted that 15 people remain trapped under the rubble. Due to ongoing security concerns, additional details are not yet available.

Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska, described the incident as a "stunning tragedy" for the nation, emphasizing the devastating loss of life.

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