Toll in Russian strike on Poltava rises to 58

Ukraine on Sunday said three more people wounded in a major Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava last week succumbed to their injuries, taking the death toll to 58.

READ ALSO:Russia blames cyberattack over Telegram, WhatsApp outage

The September 3 attack on the central city was one of the most lethal Russian hits in months, targeting a military education institute.

Ukrainian officials have not said how many of the victims were military or civilians.

READ ALSO:Putin says Russia ready for talks with Ukraine

“Sadly, three more people who were injured as a result of the Russian attack on Poltava on September 3 have died in hospital. The death toll has risen to 58,” Poltava Governor Philip Pronin said in a post on Telegram.

The attack triggered widespread condemnation among Kyiv’s international backers and some anger at home after reports suggested Russia had targeted a military ceremony taking place outside.

After the attack, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his calls for the West to deliver more air defense systems.

READ ALSO:Russia’s August advances in Ukraine biggest since October 2022