The three-year-long Ukraine-Russia war has once again reached a dangerous turning point. On Saturday, Russia launched a massive aerial assault on several cities in Ukraine. This is the fourth major attack of the month, during which around 600 drones and more than two dozen missiles were fired. The western Ukrainian cities of Lviv, Lutsk, and Chernivtsi were particularly targeted—areas that had so far been considered relatively safe from the war.
According to a Reuters report, two people were killed in Chernivtsi—one was a 26-year-old woman and the other a 43-year-old man. This region is located just 40 kilometers from the Romanian border. The attack came at a time when former U.S. President Donald Trump recently expressed intentions to provide military aid to Ukraine.
Many Injured, Buildings Damaged
According to the same report, 14 people were injured in the assault, and several residential and government buildings were severely damaged. Fires broke out in multiple parts of the city, causing panic. In Lviv alone, 46 residential buildings, a university, a court, and over 20 small and large commercial establishments were damaged in the attack.
Highest Civilian Death Toll in Three Years Recorded in June
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission recently released a report stating that June 2024 recorded the highest number of civilian deaths in the past three years. A total of 232 people were killed and 1,343 were injured. These numbers indicate that the war is becoming increasingly dangerous, especially for civilians. Western regions of Ukraine, once considered relatively safe, are now in Russia’s crosshairs. This situation is not just a concern for Ukraine but is also raising alarms in neighboring European countries like Romania and Poland.
Ukraine’s Retaliation: 319 Drones Shot Down, 258 Jammed
However, Ukraine’s air force attempted to avert a greater catastrophe. They claimed to have shot down 25 missiles, destroyed 319 Shahed drones, and jammed 258 drones using electronic warfare systems. Despite these efforts, the attack caused significant damage and instilled fear across the country.
