On July 24 during the daytime, Russia struck a private training ground in the Bucha district of Kyiv region with Iskander ballistic missiles. At the moment of the attack, the "Armada" defense product exhibition was taking place there — dozens of companies were demonstrating unmanned systems and other weapons.
What is known about the strike
According to General Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko, 10 people were killed, and approximately 100 others sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity. Spokesperson of the Air Force Yuriy Ihnat clarified that the facility is a private sports complex and does not belong to military infrastructure. The Kyiv Regional Military Administration confirmed the ballistic attack on the Bucha district.
"There was a very serious strike on one of the training grounds where the weapons exhibition was being held. We have casualties and destruction"
Valery Borovyk, founder of First Contact, military participant
Exhibition participant Yulia Hershun recounted that there were four consecutive strikes, and there was no communication at the site — which prevented the ambulance from receiving a call immediately. According to her, vehicles caught fire, and dozens of companies were present at the training ground.
Two criminal proceedings
The Office of the General Prosecutor opened proceedings under two articles simultaneously. The first — under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crime, violation of laws and customs of war). The second — under Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code regarding possible improper performance of official duties in organizing the event.
According to Zaxid.net, the investigation must establish: who made the decision to hold the exhibition, who approved the location and time, what security measures were provided, and whether risks were assessed in conditions of martial law.
Open registration — vulnerability or cause?
The announcement about the "Armada" exhibition was publicly available on the internet. The exact location was not publicly disclosed; however, according to TSN, law enforcement is investigating the circumstances of a possible information leak about the location and time of the event. The military Telegram channel "Mykolaiv Vanyek" suggested that the data could have reached Russia through online registration of participants.
Presidential advisor on defense technology development Serhiy Beskrestnov ("Flash") stated that he did not attend the exhibition — deliberately, due to security risks. According to him, such events in Ukraine occur regularly, and he only attends those where necessary security protocols are observed.
This is not the first such incident: as Focus reminds us, three years ago a Russian missile struck a drone exhibition in Chernihiv — defense industry representatives gathered there as well.
An open question
The Prosecutor's Office is conducting both proceedings in parallel, but the real question of accountability remains open: if the investigation proves that the organizers failed to assess risks and did not ensure basic security protocols — will this case become a precedent that changes the standards for conducting defense events during martial law, or will the case end with accusations without systemic changes?
