Missile strike on Chernihiv, Zelenskyy's visit to Sweden: highlights

Missile attack on Chernihiv

On August 19, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Russian troops, using an Iskander missile, struck the center of Chernihiv. The building of the regional drama theater was destroyed, and surrounding administrative buildings, residential buildings, and vehicles were damaged.

The attack killed seven people and injured 129 others, including 15 children and 15 police officers.

Social media users write that at the time of the strike, an exhibition of drones was taking place in the center of Chernihiv.

Public activist Maria Berlinska, who was among those invited to the exhibition, said that the event had been agreed in advance with the military civilian administration. The announcement of the exhibition was publicly available, but the specific location was only announced to registered participants a few hours before the event. According to Berlinska, it was a closed meeting of engineers, military and volunteers on the topic of military technologies for the front.

Zelenskyy's visit to Sweden

On the morning of August 19, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had arrived in Sweden on a working visit with First Lady Olena Zelenska.

The head of state said that Ukraine and Sweden had agreed to jointly produce CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. In addition, Ukrainian pilots have begun testing Swedish Gripen aircraft.

Zelenskyy also spoke about the preparation of a new package of military assistance to Ukraine from Sweden.

"This package contains what is important: ammunition for air defense and combat vehicles, spare parts for armored vehicles, demining equipment. Everything that will add strength to Ukraine on the battlefield," the Ukrainian president said.

Attack on Russian airfield

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that Ukraine allegedly attacked a military airfield in Novgorod Oblast in northwestern Russia with a drone. One aircraft was damaged.

The Russian defense ministry said that the strike took place at about 10 AM Kyiv time. The surveillance post allegedly tried to shoot down a copter-type drone with small arms. The Russian military did not indicate whether they succeeded in shooting down the copter, but noted that there was a fire at the airfield parking lot.

Explosions on outskirts of Kyiv

In the morning of August 19, explosions were heard on Kyiv's Ring Road, although no air raid alert was declared. A large column of black smoke rose.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the fire broke out in the warehouse of the State Research Forensic Center of the Interior Ministry. There are injured employees of the expert service. The fire was localized.

According to preliminary information, the center's experts were examining explosive items and a detonation occurred.

Other news

• In the south, 10 boats with Russian soldiers maneuvering between the islands were destroyed overnight.
• Ukrainian actor Oleksiy Khilskyi was killed while performing a combat mission.