A Russian missile strike in Lviv resulted in the deaths of at least four persons, marking one of the most significant attacks on the city's civilian infrastructure since Russia's full-scale invasion in February last year, reported news agency Reuters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a video online revealing the destruction of buildings, with damaged roofs, upper floors, and shattered windows. Rescue teams were diligently searching for survivors amidst the debris. Zelenskyy expressed his condolences to the affected families and said that a "significant" response would be given soon.
The Interior Ministry confirmed the death toll at four, with 32 people wounded, including a child. Rescue operations were underway at the scene on Thursday. Emergency services reported successfully rescuing seven individuals from the rubble, while 64 others were evacuated to safety.
Mayor Andriy Sadovyi described the attack as the most substantial assault on Lviv's civilian infrastructure throughout the 16-month-long war. Lviv, situated far from the frontlines and approximately 70 km (43 miles) from the NATO member Poland's border, experienced severe damage. Prior to Russia's invasion in February 2022, the city was home to around 700,000 residents. The population has since grown due to people seeking refuge from fighting and airstrikes in other parts of the country.
Ukraine's air force stated that Russia employed Kalibr missiles launched from the Black Sea in the attack on Lviv. Out of the 10 missiles launched, seven were reportedly intercepted and shot down.
Mayor Sadovyi was quoted as saying in the Reuters report that several residential houses, an office centere, a student campus, and a school were damaged in the attack. The impact of the attack included hundreds of shattered apartment windows, resulting in significant financial costs for repairs and restoration.
According to British media website, the regional head of Lviv Maksym Kozytskyi said a "critical infrastructure facility" in the city was targeted in a recent strike. However, he did not provide specific details regarding the incident. Kozytskyi expressed that Russia's primary objective is the destruction of the Ukrainian people but affirmed that Ukraine would emerge victorious.
Over the past few months, Russia has been conducting lethal missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, frequently targeting civilian areas and causing extensive power outages. Just last week, a restaurant and shopping centre were struck in Kramatorsk, an eastern city close to Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals, including children.
Despite being located hundreds of kilometres away from the main front lines in Ukraine's eastern and southern regions, Lviv has also faced Russian assaults.
On June 20th, Lviv officials reported that critical infrastructure in the city had been targeted in a drone attack.