A Ukrainian court remands the organiser of a weapons exhibition struck by Russia, killing 11 people and sparking national outrage.
KYIV: A Ukrainian court on Monday remanded in custody the organiser of a weapons exhibition that was struck by Russia in an attack that killed at least 11 people and triggered an outcry across the country.
Prosecutors brought a case against Vasyl Goncharuk, head of a weapons industry association, accusing him of negligence that led to loss of life following the Russian ballistic missile strike on a shooting range outside Kyiv on Friday.
There was widespread anger at the way the event was held, including from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who said it “certainly should not have been taking place there”.
On Monday, a court in Kyiv remanded Goncharuk in custody without bail pending trial, an AFP journalist attending the hearing reported.
Hours after the strike, Russia’s defence ministry confirmed it had hit the site, which it said was “hosting a demonstration of Ukrainian and foreign-made” drones.
Ukrainian Prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko said investigators were checking whether “circumstances may have exacerbated the scale of the tragedy”.
He said that the weapons association had invited over 300 people including military personnel, state representatives and business figures without official authorisation, providing only a small shelter.
Hours after the attack on Friday, AFP reporters saw homes in ruins and victims in body bags as first responders and investigators sifted through the debris.
The event also drew criticism for being promoted on social media, and Kravchenko said investigators were “examining whether these actions could have enabled the enemy to prepare a targeted strike.”
The death toll on Monday rose from 10 to 11 after a Ukrainian diplomat working for Malta succumbed to his wounds.
Ukraine’s defence industry regularly hosts events showcasing their drones and other weapon for investors and allies.
Similar incidents of Russian attacks on Ukrainian military or defence gatherings — details of which had been widely shared ahead of time — have also triggered outcry.
