According to Ukraine’s military, Russia has launched missile and drone attacks on the city of Kyiv and the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, which is proximate to the Nato member country, Poland. This was reported on Wednesday, shortly following a deadly attack by Russia on a military institute in Poltava, a central Ukrainian town. This single attack, which is the deadliest this year, has resulted in at least 51 fatalities and hundreds of others injured.
Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, reported in a video that two ballistic missiles, seemingly Russian, damaged a structure at the Military Institute of Communications. By Wednesday, several explosions sounded on the outskirts of Kyiv and Lviv, believed to be the operation of air defence systems. Ukrainian military reports confirmed an engagement in efforts to fend off the attacks.
Lviv’s regional governor, Maksym Kozytskyi, using the Telegram messaging app, confirmed the loud sounds of the attacks and indicated that residential structures in Lviv city had sustained damage. Lviv city is the administrative hub in a wider region.
For the third time within eight days, neighbouring Poland activated aircraft to secure Polish airspace on Wednesday. As noted by Poland’s military, this increased activity seems to be a reaction to the Russian air strikes.
Over the past 10 days, Russia has perpetrated hundreds of missile and drone strikes on Ukraine. This, according to some Russian military bloggers, is a retaliatory move from Moscow in response to recent breaches into Russian territory by Kyiv. However, Russia has yet to officially comment on the matter.
Ukraine’s air force revealed via Telegram that the country was under air raid alerts and further warned of impending attacks on the Lviv region involving missiles.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has gone to Kyiv to meet with Mr Zelenskiy and promised €36 million in funding to aid the humanitarian organisations operating in Ukraine. Additionally, he will sign an agreement ensuring continued support for the nation in the following years.