The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said in a video address that according to preliminary information the attack had been carried out using two ballistic missiles and had "partially destroyed" one of the buildings of the Poltava military institute of communications, leaving people trapped under the rubble.
Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, called the attack "a stunning tragedy for all of Ukraine" in a post on X. "The enemy hit an educational institution and a hospital," she wrote.
Some left worried messages on the institute's Facebook page seeking information about their loved ones.
Zelenskiy said he held Russia accountable but had ordered a "full, prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened".
The strike has triggered anger on Ukrainian social media after unconfirmed reports said it had targeted an outdoor military ceremony, with many blaming officials who allowed the event to take place despite the threat of Russian attacks.
Ukraine's land forces confirmed that Ukrainian service personnel were killed in the strike and said an investigation was under way to establish whether enough had been done to protect those in the facility. It said measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence.
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