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A cell phone-captured video shows the exact moment when Russian actress Polina Menshikh, who was performing during a ceremony celebrating Russia’s annual Day of Missile Forces and Artillery in Moscow-occupied Donetsk, was hit by a missile.
On November 19, Polina Menshikh was in a dance hall with roughly 150 Russian troops to celebrate the military holiday when she was killed by a missile strike carried out by Ukraine, which also killed at least 25 Russian troops and injured more than 100 others.
A Ukrainian army spokesperson confirmed that they were behind the surprise "revenge" attack. Netizens have taken to the internet to express shock over the assault.
Polina Menshikh's death has since been confirmed by the Portal theater in St. Petersburg and the Russian state-run TASS news agency.
“It is with great pain that we inform you Polina Menshikh, famous as the director of one of the versions of ‘The Last Trial,’ died yesterday at a performance in Donbas as a result of shelling," the theatre said in a statement.
The actress was 40 years old at the time of her passing. She reportedly died in the hospital after succumbing to her injuries.
Netizens horrified as video of Polina Menshikh getting struck by a missile goes viral
A video of Polina Menshikh singing on stage during the ceremony against the backdrop of the Russian flag has gone viral across social media platforms. In the short-second-long clip, one could hear an explosion and see the building shake before the lights went out. People could be heard screaming, with one man simply shouting, “F**k.”
The video was posted by Colin Rugg on X and has since amassed over one million views.
Russian officials reported that the 27th Rocket Artillery Brigade, under Colonel Dmitry Khrapach, was behind the attack. The Post revealed that the assault was carried out by Ukraine, which used US-supplied HIMARS missile systems. The Strategic Communications Department of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as per the New York Post, stated the following on Instagram:
“Ukraine’s defense forces quickly determined the venue of the Russians’ celebration and warmly congratulated them.”
According to BBC, the attack took place just 37 miles (60 km) away from the front lines. Speaking about the Ukrainian missile attack, a Russian service member said to a news outlet:
“They smashed the volunteers’ cars with one HIMARS rocket, and with the second one- the dressing room with the artists and the stage.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses Donetsk attack
In a statement, President Zelensky called the attack a “tragedy that could have been avoided.” According to BBC, several areas in the Donetsk region have been hotspots for aggressive attacks in recent months. Hence, some Russians believe that the recent assault could have been anticipated.
A Russian military blogger put the Russian forces on blast by calling them “untaught idiots.” He said:
“Almost two years of war, and the untaught idiots still don’t know what to do and what not to do.”
He also added that a performance including several Russian soldiers in one place made it an obvious target for a Ukrainian strike.
The Russian Investigative Committee has since announced that they plan to open an investigation into the attack as a civilian also passed away among other Russian forces.
