Russian cruise missile attack on Ukraine city of Lviv kills seven

At least seven people were killed and nine others injured when Russia fired cruise missiles at the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, far from the frontline of the war, on Thursday. The attack destroyed the roof and top two floors of a residential building, leaving many people trapped under the rubble.

The Lviv mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, said the attack was the largest on the city's civilian infrastructure since the Kremlin's forces invaded Ukraine last year. He announced two days of official mourning for the victims, who ranged from 21 to 95 years old.

Ukraine's air force reported it intercepted seven of the 10 Kalibr cruise missiles that Russia had fired from the Black Sea towards the Lviv region and its namesake city at approximately 1am on Thursday. However, three missiles managed to reach their targets, causing widespread damage and panic.

The Kremlin's forces have repeatedly hit civilian areas during the war, though Russian officials say they choose only targets of military value. Lviv is near the western border with Poland and is more than 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the frontlines of the war in eastern and southern Ukraine, where Kyiv's counteroffensive to dislodge Russian forces is in its early stages.

The international community has condemned the attack and called for an immediate ceasefire and dialogue. The US ambassador to Ukraine described the attack as "vicious" and "horrifying". The Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, vowed to respond to the enemy with a "tangible" action.

Source: The Guardian