New Delhi: At least 16 people were killed and dozens more wounded as Russia fired three missiles into the centre of Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine near the Russian border. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, resulted in significant damage to civilian buildings.
After the Russian air strikes, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine urgently requested air defence assistance from Kyiv’s allies. The city of Chernihiv, which had a pre-war population of 300,000, was the latest target of the air strikes. “This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence equipment and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient,” Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Acting mayor Oleksandr Lomako, condemning Russia said, “Unfortunately, Russia continues to engage in terrorist activity against civilians and civilian infrastructure as confirmed by this strike on Chernihiv once again,” he said. More than 60 people, including three children, were wounded in the attack, he added.
Three explosions ripped through a busy central area of the city destroying a hotel and damaging several multi-storey residential buildings, a hospital, an education facility, and dozens of private cars. Russia, which denies targeting civilians, attacked with three Iskander cruise missiles, according to governor Vyacheslav Chaus.
At present, Ukraine is experiencing a severe shortage of ammunition, including air defence systems and missiles. Unfortunately, crucial funding from the U.S. has been obstructed by Republicans in Congress for a considerable duration, while the EU has failed to deliver the necessary munitions promptly. This delay has given Russia an opportunity to increase its attacks on Ukrainian cities, targeting vital infrastructure such as the energy sector.
Notably, Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and has since launched thousands of missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages in attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians.
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