In a devastating attack on Thursday, Russian missiles struck downtown Lviv, a major western city in Ukraine, resulting in the largest assault to date on civilian areas. Lviv, previously considered out of harm’s way, had become a refuge for Ukrainians fleeing the conflict in the eastern part of the country. Ukrainian officials reported four fatalities and nine injuries as the missiles tore into an apartment building, causing significant damage. The Ukrainian air force revealed that seven out of ten cruise missiles fired from the Black Sea toward Lviv were intercepted by their air defenses. The deliberate targeting of the city highlights the increasingly dire situation in Ukraine.
As the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the east continues to make slow progress, the conflict is intensifying from both sides. Ukrainian forces launched an airstrike deep within Russian-held territory in the eastern Donetsk region. While Moscow claims the strike hit a residential neighborhood in the Russian-occupied city of Makiivka, Ukrainian officials argue that secondary explosions following the missile impact prove it was a direct hit on a Russian weapons depot. This escalation demonstrates the widening scope of the conflict, as both sides exchange blows far beyond the traditional front lines.
The situation near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe, has raised concerns about a potential nuclear disaster. Accusations from both sides suggest plots to sabotage the Russian-occupied plant. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been present at the site for weeks, demanding unrestricted access to confirm the absence of mines or explosives. However, regional officials have reported that Russian forces controlling the plant have obstructed the inspectors from certain areas. Amidst fears of a nuclear emergency, government officials in the nearby city of Zaporizhzhia have advised residents to prepare for the worst. The constant threat of shelling from entrenched Russian forces across the Dnipro River now combines with the heightened risk of an explosion at the nuclear power plant, creating an atmosphere of imminent danger for the local population.
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