Russian Airstrikes Hit Ukraine: Casualties and Damage

• Missile strikes hit buildings, including a factory, and damaged infrastructure, injuring 15 people.
•  Electricity lines damaged, restoration efforts underway.
• Attacks criticized for affecting populated areas where people seek refuge from conflict.

Russian airstrikes struck two western regions of Ukraine that border NATO member Poland, resulting in casualties and damage, according to Ukrainian officials. The attacks, which occurred on Tuesday, left three people dead and over a dozen wounded, including injuries in a factory. Local sources characterized these airstrikes as the most significant air assault on the Lviv region since the Russian invasion in February 2022. The fatalities were concentrated in the Volyn region to the northwest, with an industrial establishment in Lutsk, the regional capital, being hit overnight.

Swedish industrial bearing manufacturer SKF reported that their Lutsk factory suffered missile strikes, causing the deaths of three employees. Ukrainian state emergency service footage depicted rescuers extricating a survivor from the debris. In Lviv, another western region, fifteen individuals sustained injuries, with six missiles damaging numerous structures and a kindergarten playground. The youngest victim, a 10-year-old, was among those affected. Notably, both Volyn and Lviv are far from the front lines of the ongoing 18-month-long conflict with Russia and are adjacent to Poland.

Power lines in the region were damaged, leading to outages, but Ukrenergo, the national grid operator, indicated that electricity was being restored. Lviv, typically spared from extensive air attacks, experienced similar violence in July when a missile struck a residential building near the historic center, resulting in seven deaths. The city has been considered a relatively safe haven amidst the conflict, accommodating government offices, international NGOs, and refugees heading to Poland.

Denise Brown, the United Nations resident coordinator in Ukraine, condemned the attacks, emphasizing the impact on populated regions where people seek refuge from Russia’s invasion. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reported damage to civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, across eight regions due to the airstrikes. Meanwhile, the southeastern city of Dnipro also witnessed casualties, with a business enterprise and a sports complex being struck, leaving at least two wounded.