Russian forces strike Chernihiv Drama Theater, causing 97 casualties (updated)

Russian military forces launched an attack on the city center of Chernihiv, possibly utilizing a ballistic missile, Suspilne Chernihiv reports. A square, the university, and Drama Theater were attacked. There are reports of 90 casualties due to the Russian strike on the Drama Theater in Chernihiv. Seven individuals have lost their lives, including a child. In total, 90 people, including 12 children and 10 policemen, have been injured, Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the incident, "This is what a neighborhood with a terrorist state is, this is what we unite the whole world against. A Russian missile hit right in the center of the city, in our Chernihiv. A square, the polytechnic university, a theater. An ordinary Saturday, which Russia turned into a day of pain and loss. There are dead, there are wounded. My condolences to those who lost loved ones! All services are on the site. Rescuers, police, doctors. Everyone who is needed. Let's do even more to consolidate the world against Russian terror. Let's give even more to our state to protect life. Russia must lose this war for life to win." https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1692859872444842099

Strike during drone developers event

When Russian army launched a missile strike on Drama Theater, a gathering of drone manufacturers and aerial reconnaissance training schools was taking place there as part of the "Furious Birds" demo day. The exact location of the event was known only to registered participants. The "Furious Birds" event was scheduled to commence at 10:00 AM on Saturday. At approximately 11:30 AM, a powerful explosion rocked Chernihiv. Valeriy Borovik, a serviceman from the Ukrainian National Guard's Kulchytsky Battalion, reported that the theater's second floor had been practically leveled by the impact of the missile. Mariya Berlinska, the founder of the civic organization "Center for Aerial Reconnaissance Support" revealed that all participants of the event who went to shelter survived, including herself. However, some individuals chose to venture onto the streets during the attack.

In Berlinska's words: "The event had been officially coordinated with the local authorities well in advance, and the venue was provided by them. The announcement of the event was made public. However, the specific location was disclosed to registered and verified participants only (!) mere hours before the event. All participant information had been provided to the relevant authorities."

Berlinska emphasized ongoing collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to furnish all necessary data for a swift and thorough investigation. Additional details indicate that Russian propagandists from RIA Novosti have corroborated that the intended target of the Russian Federation's strike was the drone manufacturers event. Viktor Taran from the Kruk UAV Operators Training Center stated that this gathering was well-publicized in local media, with various news outlets covering the event. Taran highlighted the similarities between the current incident and the previous situation in Vinnytsia, emphasizing the importance of drawing conclusions from writing about such events in mass media as Russian forces can choose these places for a strike.

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