At least 13 people have been killed and another 61 injured in the city of Chernihiv, in northern Ukraine, in a Russian attack in broad daylight with three Iskander missiles, according to the latest balance provided by local authorities. The impact of the missiles has caused damage to at least 16 homes, according to the head of the city's Military Administration, Oleksandr Lomako.
According to Lomako, three explosions occurred one after another in a busy area of the city shortly after 9:00 local time (one hour less in mainland Spain), hitting at least four multi-story buildings, a hospital, an educational center and dozens of private cars. “Unfortunately, Russia continues to engage in terrorist activities against civilians and civilian infrastructure, as confirmed once again by this attack on Chernihiv,” he told Ukrainian television.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also described the attack as “terrorist” and has called on his Western partners to send more air defense systems so that Ukraine can protect its population from blows like this. “This would not happen if Ukraine received sufficient means of anti-aircraft defense, nor if the world had sufficient determination to confront Russian terror,” he declared on his social networks.
The director of the Chernihiv regional hospital has said at least 18 people injured in the attack were being treated there and has urged residents to donate blood. Unverified videos on social media showed flames and plumes of black smoke rising over the historic city, which is about 150 kilometers from kyiv. People have run from a bus to take cover from the explosions. Emergency services and doctors rushed to the scene of the attack, authorities said.
Search and rescue efforts continue, so the number of victims could be higher than known so far. Chernihiv is located near the border with Belarus and before the war had about 300,000 inhabitants.
In recent weeks, Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian cities, targeting the country's energy sector and other critical infrastructure. Andrii Yermak, head of Zelensky's office, on Wednesday reiterated kyiv's call for more air defense. Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba thanked Germany for providing an additional Patriot battery and urged other partners to do the same.
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