Two universities in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, were allegedly attacked Friday morning in a Russian missile strike.
Footage released by Ukrainian officials shows large plumes of black smoke rising into the sky above a university after it was reportedly hit, along with another university in the city, by at least 10 Russian missiles.
The images were obtained from the Mykolaiv regional governor, Vitaliy Kim, 41, who said (in English): "This morning, the terrorist country Russia again shelled Mykolaiv. By firing at least 10 missiles into the city.
"The city's two largest universities were affected. Now they are attacking our education.
"I ask the universities of all democratic countries to declare Russia what it really is - a terrorist country."
The footage was also relayed by the Ukrainian government organization the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, along with a statement saying: "At around 8 a.m., more than 10 powerful explosions were heard in the city. This was announced by the mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkovych."
"The Russians attacked two of the largest universities in the city, Vitaly Kim, the governor of the Mykolaiv region, later said.
"Currently, two people are known to have been injured as a result of the attack."
It is currently unclear which two universities were hit in the city. The city of Mykolaiv counts three major universities: the Sukhomlynskyi Mykolaiv National University, the Mykolayiv State Agrarian University and the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding. According to Ukrainian media, the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding is one of the two universities to have been hit.
Zenger News contacted the Mykolaiv regional governor for further comment, as well as the Russian Ministry of Defense, but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is calling a "special military operation." July 16 marks the 143rd day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 15, Russia had lost about 38,000 personnel, 1,672 tanks, 3,866 armored combat vehicles, 842 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defense systems, 220 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 681 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,731 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 67 units of special equipment.
Other developments in the Russia-Ukraine war:
At least 23 people, including three children, have been killed and up to 117 others have been injured after Russian missiles hit the city center of Vinnytsia, in west-central Ukraine, far from the front lines. The State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine has said that it is looking for 39 people who are currently missing, and 34 others are in serious condition.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack "an open act of terrorism."
The United States, as well as over 40 other countries have agreed to coordinate their investigations into suspected Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Forty-five countries, including European Union countries, as well as the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, and Australia signed a declaration at a conference in The Hague on Thursday, agreeing to work together.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that Russia's war in Ukraine is the biggest threat to the global economy. She added that representatives of the Russian regime "have no place" at the G20 meeting in Indonesia.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine's infrastructure minister, has said that Kyiv is "definitely a step closer" to being able to export grain through its Black Sea ports after talks with Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations.
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War has said that Russia has begun "volunteer mobilizations" to address soldier shortages, saying that Moscow had "likely ordered Russian 'federal subjects' (regions) to form volunteer battalions to participate in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, instead of declaring partial or full mobilization in Russia."
