War in Ukraine
Many dead and injured after attack on Chernihiv
Rescue workers at a destroyed building in Chernihiv. photo
© Ukrainian Emergency Service/dpa
A heavy missile attack by Russia on Ukraine hits the regional capital Chernihiv. The authorities speak of many victims and massive destruction.
A Russian rocket attack on the city of Chernihiv in the north of the Ukraine claimed many civilian casualties on Wednesday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj spoke of 17 deaths in the evening. There are also more than 60 injured, including several children.
During the attack, three rockets hit near the city center, the region’s military governor, Vyacheslav Tschaus, said via video on his Telegram channel shortly after the attack. He spoke of a terrible morning. It later became known that Russia was said to have used the Iskander mobile missile system for the bombardment. The range of the system is around 500 kilometers.
16 buildings were damaged
According to official information, a hotel, the district hospital, the main university building and several multi-story residential buildings were hit. In addition, many cars burst into flames. Mayor Olexander Lomako said a total of 16 buildings were damaged. In most of them, window panes were broken by the pressure wave. However, some houses also suffered serious damage.
The rescue workers searched under the rubble for other victims of the attack. The police say six people are missing. Because of the many injuries, local health authorities have called on the population to donate blood.
The Russian Defense Ministry did not elaborate on the Chernihiv rocket strike in its daily situation report. In general, it simply said that the air and missile forces had fought Ukrainian units and military technology. Meanwhile, former member of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada parliament, Ihor Mossiychuk, said on TikTok that Ukrainian soldiers were staying in the hotel that was shelled by the Russian military. This information was not officially confirmed in Kiev.
Zelensky is insisting on more anti-aircraft defenses
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences to the victims’ families. At the same time, in view of the tragedy, he renewed his call for strengthening anti-aircraft defenses. “This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defense and if the world had been determined enough to counter Russian terror,” the head of state wrote on Telegram.
The Ukrainians do not lack determination in their fight, Zelensky added. “It takes sufficient determination from our partners and sufficient support that reflects this determination,” warned the President.
In the past few days and weeks, Selenskyj had repeatedly pointed out that the Russians were increasingly gaining the upper hand in the war due to the West’s slow arms support. Due to a lack of anti-aircraft systems and ammunition, the Russians have now destroyed many important objects in Ukraine, said Zelensky, referring to the ruined Trypillia thermal power plant near Kiev. In addition, the deficit in artillery ammunition is critical, where the Russians are now firing ten times what the Ukrainians have available.
Chernihiv is located about 150 kilometers north of Kiev, not far from the border with Russia. When Russian military invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chernihiv was also attacked. However, the attackers did not succeed in taking the city. However, Chernihiv was badly affected by intense shelling and a blockade. After Russian troops withdrew from the area, the city became the target of Russian air attacks on several occasions.
Ukrainian drone strikes on targets in Crimea and Russia
Meanwhile, Ukraine attacked several targets in Russia and on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with drones and missiles. According to a report by the RBK-Ukraina news agency, one of the targets of the drones used by military intelligence was an aircraft factory in Kazan. Tupolev 22M and 160M strategic bombers are built and repaired at the plant, located almost 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Several explosions were said to have been heard near the factory premises. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an aircraft-like drone was intercepted over the Republic of Tatarstan.
According to consistent Ukrainian media reports, another attack targeted a radar station near the town of Kovylkino in Mordovia, a good 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, this drone attack was also repelled.
According to local reports, explosions were previously heard overnight at a military airfield near Dzhankoy on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. According to Ukrainian information, two US ATACMS missiles hit. A Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system, including a radar system and several launch pads, is said to have been destroyed. Several Russian soldiers were killed or injured, reports from Ukraine said. There was no independent evidence of this.