Russian forces hit Ukrainian museum, killing 2

Ukrainian authorities said two people are dead after a Russian missile hit a history museum on Tuesday in the eastern part of the country.

Ukrainian officials said Russian forces used S-300 air defense missiles — frequently used in attacks on ground targets — in a strike on a museum in the city of Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region of the country.

In a social media post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a “terrorist country” conducted the strike, adding that Russia wants to destroy “our history, our culture, our people.” 

“Killing Ukrainians with absolutely barbaric methods,” Zelensky said in his post. “We have no right to forget about it for a single second. We must and will respond!”

Zelensky also noted in his post that 10 people were wounded in the strike, adding that one of the two people that died in the attack was a museum employee. 

“Eternal memory to the deceased and condolences to the relatives,” Zelensky said. “All those guilty of these war crimes will definitely be brought to justice and it will be merciless.”

The attack comes months after Ukrainian forces reclaimed parts of the Kharkiv region in a surprise counteroffensive, driving out Russian forces who had occupied areas in the earlier stages of the ongoing war.

It also comes ahead of an expected renewed offensive from Ukraine, which has received increasingly powerful Western weapons in recent months.

In a separate statement, Zelensky said he had a meeting with top military officials to discuss the current battlefield situation and their readiness for a long fight against Russia.

“Ukraine and its defense forces are constantly getting stronger,” Zelensky said. “But we have to accelerate the pace of weapons supply, because every day of delay is the lives of our fighters.”

“The Warriors should be provided with everything they need to perform the best commanding tasks as we approach our victory,” Zelensky added. 

The U.S. and Germany have committed modern tanks to Ukraine; however, they have still resisted calls for cutting-edge fighter jets and long-range missile systems.