Russia’s Defence Ministry has for the first time confirmed the missile strike on the House of Officers building in Vinnytsia. The launch of Kalibr high-precision sea-based missiles is mentioned in the daily briefing of the ministry.
“The facility hosted a conference of the Ukrainian Armed Force command with representatives of foreign armament suppliers aimed at discussing the issues on sending another batch of aircraft, destruction means, as well as on organising the reparation of Ukrainian aircraft.
The attack has resulted in the elimination of the conference participants,”
the ministry’s report said.
In post-Soviet countries, unlike in the West, an “officers’ club” or “House of Officers” is a term used to describe a recreation facility formerly used by servicemen and their families for leisure. The buildings are now mainly used as concert halls in the region and have completely lost any relation with armed forces both in Russia and Ukraine.
According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the strike on Vinnytsia happened at 10:50 am local time, and hit a parking lot near a nine storey local shopping centre.
Following the missile strike, according to the latest information, 23 people were killed, including three children. Furthermore, 80 people were hospitalised; overall, 197 people asked for medical help. As of now, 11 people are still considered to be missing.
One of the victims was a four-year-old girl Liza, who was on her way back home from a visit to a speech therapist with her mother.
“Today, our hearts are bleeding, and our eyes are filled with tears, because our big family has lost one of their “own”. We are especially enraged and in pain due to the fact that it was a small, completely innocent child. Our child. Our little Lisa,” said a charity organisation Down Syndrome in a statement.
Doctors are still trying to save the life of Lisa’s mother, Irina, she’s currently in intensive care.
Yesterday, Vinnytsia’s House of Officers was supposed to host a concert of the singer Roxolana. She said that one of her team members had been killed.
