A Russian missile attack on Chernihiv on Monday morning has left 17 people dead, with two succumbing to their injuries in the hospital, acting Mayor Oleksandr Lomako reported. 78 people were wounded, including several children.
Among the casualties was 25-year-old police officer Alina Mykolaets, who suffered fatal shrapnel wounds.
“Three missile strikes on the city center. An eight-story building was destroyed, high-rise buildings, a hospital, and a higher education institution were damaged, along with dozens of cars,” wrote Vyacheslav Chaus, the head of the Chernihiv Regional Military Administration, on Telegram.
Preliminary reports indicate the missiles were Russian-fired Iskanders. In total, 16 residential buildings were affected, with windows blown out in many apartments. The hospital and a Chernihiv Polytechnic University building were also hit.
“Today I met with representatives of our international partners, who are already getting involved in helping the people of Chernihiv, for which we are extremely grateful. Tomorrow, a help center will open in the city where people from the affected buildings can apply for financial assistance,” wrote acting Mayor Lomako on Telegram.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the missile attack on Chernihiv, stating that “this would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defense means and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror had also been sufficient.”
The area hit by the Russian missiles was one of the most affected during the shelling in March 2022, when Russia attacked the district hospital, the police department, and many private homes.
The city has declared April 18 a day of mourning for the victims.
Read more:
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