On Wednesday, Russia launched an attack on the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, resulting in the death of seven individuals, including three children, and causing damage to historical buildings. This rare assault occurred hundreds of kilometers from the frontline. Following Ukraine's recent cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk region, Russia has intensified its aerial bombardments against Ukraine.
Interior Minister Igor Klymenko reported on Telegram that the ongoing search and rescue operation had confirmed seven fatalities in Lviv. The missile strike also injured 40 people and damaged educational institutions, medical facilities, and structures in Lviv's historic center, according to Ukraine's prosecutor general's office. Lviv, situated near the Polish border and home to a UNESCO World Heritage site encompassing its old town, has largely escaped the severe bombings affecting eastern cities.
Regional governor Maksym Kozytsky noted that at least seven locally significant architectural sites were damaged in the attack. This assault on Lviv, which is currently hosting thousands displaced by the ongoing war, followed a Russian strike on the central city of Poltava that killed 53 people, marking one of the most lethal single attacks since the invasion began.
The series of overnight attacks prompted Ukraine to renew its calls for Western air defenses and long-range weapons capable of striking deep into Russian territory. Residents described the harrowing scenes, with one Lviv resident, Yelyzaveta, recounting the desperate pleas for help she heard. Others, like Anastasia Grynko from Dnipro, were caught off guard by the sudden attack.
President Zelensky condemned the attacks as 'Russian terrorist strikes on Ukrainian cities.' The air force reported intercepting seven missiles and 22 drones out of a total of 13 missiles and 29 drones launched against Ukraine. In Kryvyi Rig, debris from a downed missile damaged the Arena hotel, injuring five people.
Prime Minister Denys Shmygal urged for increased air defense capabilities and long-range weapons to counterattack Russia. The weapons provided by Ukraine's Western allies often come with restrictions that limit their use against targets within Russia. The attacks occurred just a day after a Russian strike on a military education institute in Poltava, which resulted in 53 deaths and 271 injuries.
Russia continued its offensive in eastern Ukraine, claiming the capture of the village of Karlivka, a strategic location near Pokrovsk. President Putin highlighted the rapid advances made by his army in the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Lugansk. Meanwhile, Ukraine underwent significant governmental restructuring, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba submitting his resignation amidst other resignations.
In a separate incident, Ukrainian shelling in the occupied eastern region resulted in three casualties, according to the Russian-installed Donetsk governor, Denis Pushilin.
