Deadly Russian missile attack highlights Ukraine’s air-defence shortages

The attack in Poltava on Tuesday highlighted how a shortage of air-defense systems is leaving Ukraine vulnerable to Russian strikes, as well as exposing apparent Ukrainian military shortcomings for failing to better protect the training center.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded for more missile systems and jet fighters to shield Ukraine from Russian attacks, calling Western deliveries too few and too slow.

“Once again, we urge everyone in the world who has the power to stop this terror: Air defense systems and missiles are needed in Ukraine, not in a warehouse somewhere," Zelensky said in a statement after the strike.

He repeated calls to be able to strike deeper into Russia using Western-supplied missiles, something the U.S. and allies currently bar Kyiv from doing.

“Long-range strikes that can defend against Russian terror are needed now, not sometime later," Zelensky said. “Every day of delay, unfortunately, means more lives lost."

Videos from the scene showed a large, five-story building hollowed out by the bombs. Eleven victims were dug out from rubble, but more may still be buried, officials say. Zelensky has said he ordered a full investigation into the strike.

“The interval between the air-raid alarm and the arrival of the deadly rockets was so short that it caught people at the moment of evacuation to the bomb shelter," the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The strikes came on the second day of the academic year, just as students and teachers began their classes.

Russian officials Tuesday confirmed that Russian forces had launched a missile strike in Poltava, saying it was on a former higher military command school of communications, which currently trains radar and electronic-warfare specialists for the Ukrainian army.

Ann M. Simmons contributed to this article.