Videos showed flames and columns of black smoke rising over Chernihiv, which is about 90 miles (150km) from the capital, Kyiv, not far from the border with Russia.
The city of Chernihiv, located in northern Ukraine near the Russian border, was hit by three Russian missiles, resulting in at least 17 deaths and many injuries. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urgently appealed for air defence assistance from Kyiv’s allies as Chernihiv fell victim to the escalating Russian airstrike onslaught. The city, with a prewar population of 300,000, witnessed scenes of devastation as videos captured flames and thick black smoke engulfing the area, situated just 90 miles from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Three explosions ripped through a busy central area of the city shortly after 9am local time, destroying a hotel, officials said. The strike also damaged several multistorey residential buildings, a hospital, an education facility and dozens of private cars. “This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence equipment and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.
Videos showed flames and columns of black smoke rising over Chernihiv, which is about 90 miles (150km) from the capital, Kyiv, not far from the border with Russia.
Regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus said that three missiles struck near the Chernihiv city centre and that civilian infrastructure was damaged.
“Unfortunately, Russia continues to engage in terrorist activity against civilians and civilian infrastructure as confirmed by this strike on Chernihiv once again,” the acting mayor, Oleksandr Lomako, said on national television. He said more than 60 people, including three children, had been wounded.
When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Chernihiv was attacked but not captured. In the past two years, it has been subject to frequent Russian artillery fire and aerial assaults.
The latest Russian bombardment marks the war’s third year, signaling a critical juncture. With Ukraine’s Western partners scaling back military aid, the nation faces heightened vulnerability against the Kremlin’s superior forces. The ongoing conflict shows no signs of abating, underscoring the urgent need for diplomatic intervention to prevent further escalation. As tensions mount and civilian casualties rise, the international community must prioritize peace efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis.
