Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s Poltava kills more than 40, Zelenskyy says

At least 41 people were killed and more than 180 injured Tuesday in a Russian missile strike on central Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Two ballistic missiles hit an “educational institution” and a nearby hospital in the city of Poltava, Zelenskyy said in a video post on the Telegram messaging app.

NBC News could not verify the death toll or what buildings were hit. Russia has not commented on the incident.

Some people were trapped under the rubble, Zelenskyy said, but many were rescued.

“I have ordered a full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened,” Zelenskyy said. “All necessary services are involved in the rescue operation.”

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said in a separate post that rescuers had contained the fire and were continuing to clear the rubble, adding that 11 people were pulled from under the debris.

It appears to be the deadliest strike on Ukraine since a missile attack on the capital Kyiv in July, which also killed 41 people.

This is a developing news story, please check back for updates.