Death toll from Russian strike on Kyiv arms exhibition rises to 12, Prosecutor General’s Office says

A 20-year-old man who was critically injured in a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv Oblast last week has died in hospital, bringing the death toll from the attack to 12, the Prosecutor General’s Office said on July 29.

The strike on July 24 hit a site where an arms exhibition was taking place, killing civilians and injuring more than 100 people, many of them representatives of Ukraine’s defense industry.

The attack came as Russia increasingly uses ballistic missiles against Kyiv and the surrounding region, while Ukraine faces shortages of missiles capable of intercepting them.

Seeking shelter remains one of the main ways civilians can protect themselves during an attack. Ballistic missiles, however, can reach the capital within minutes, leaving people little time to find cover.

According to investigators, Armada, a weapons manufacturers' association, organized the event, which included a presentation of air defense systems, without coordinating it with the relevant authorities.

Investigators suspect that the organizers failed to follow proper safety measures. More than 300 people were invited to the open-air event, while the nearest shelter, measuring only 34 square meters, was located about 100 meters from the venue.

Invitations were reportedly sent nine days before the event, while the exact time and location were shared one day in advance.

Investigators are examining whether the organizers' actions created additional security risks that could have enabled Russian forces to prepare a targeted strike.

The event's main organizer was detained and charged with official negligence. Due to minor injuries, the suspect remains under guard at a medical facility.