Russian forces have struck one of Ukraine's military training grounds while an exhibition of the latest weapons and defence technologies was under way there. The attack was reported by Valerii Borovyk, founder of the Ukrainian defence manufacturer First Contact.
According to him, the strike was extremely powerful and caused casualties and significant destruction. For security reasons, the location of the event, the number of dead and injured, and other details are not being disclosed for now. Official comment from the relevant authorities is expected later.
Preliminary information suggests the training ground was hosting an exhibition of modern Ukrainian developments for the Defence Forces, where makers of military hardware and equipment were showcasing their solutions. It cannot be ruled out that this event was the target of the Russian attack, though there is no confirmation of that so far.
Among those attending the exhibition was Serhii Beskrestnov ("Flash"), an adviser to Ukraine's president on the development of defence technology. After reports of the strike emerged, he said he had not been hurt.
"Friends, thank you. I'm fine. The team is alive," Serhii "Flash" wrote in his message
Beskrestnov is one of Ukraine's best-known experts in unmanned technologies, electronic warfare and military communications. In January 2026 he was appointed adviser on defence technology.
There is as yet no official information on which exhibits or manufacturers were affected by the attack. Nor have any details been released on the type of missile or other weapon Russian forces used in the strike.
After Borovyk's statement, speculation began to appear online that this referred to a ballistic strike carried out that day on the Kyiv region. Ukrainian authorities, however, have yet to confirm either the location of the attack or any link to the defence-industry exhibition.
At this point, the only things officially confirmed are the report of the strike itself, the fact that there were deaths and destruction, and that Serhii "Flash" was present at the event and survived along with his team.
It is worth noting that information about the military equipment exhibition at the open-air training ground had been publicly available online before the event took place.
Following the strike, a number of military personnel and public figures raised concerns about the safety of organizing such public military events.
Among them was Serhii Sternenko, who stated:
“The Russians rely on much more than just drone reconnaissance. They have access to satellite imagery of our territory, maintain an extensive network of agents, and MONITOR SOCIAL MEDIA and messaging chats. Organizing large military events in an open area within the range of ballistic missiles is effectively helping Russia kill our people. There are no words.”
