Massive attacks on Ukraine’s west: Russian missiles strike Lviv, Lutsk and Khmelnytskyi

On Tuesday night, August 15, the Russian forces launched a massive attack with cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bombers from the Caspian Sea area: first, they attacked the central city of Dnipro, and closer to five in the morning, a series of explosions were heard in the west of Ukraine.

Rubryka reports, referring to the statements of the Air Force, the Khmelnytskyi Regional Military Administration, Lutsk Mayor Ihor Polishchuk, the head of the Volyn Regional Military Administration Yurii Pohuliaiko, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi, and the head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration Maksym Kozytskyi.

The Air Force reported that they recorded launches from the Tu-95MS at 03:07. At that time, the number of launched missiles was unknown. At 04:03, an air raid warning was announced in the entire territory of Ukraine.

"The air alert is related to the launch of cruise missiles from Tu-95MS strategic bombers from the Caspian Sea area," the military said.

Soon, monitoring channels started reporting that anti-aircraft defense was activated in Dnipro. Explosions are reported in the city.

At 04:34, the Air Force said the Russian forces launched missiles from the Tu-22M3 bomber in the Millerovo area of Russia's Rostov region. Fortunately, it turned out later that it was an imitation.

Around five in the morning, Serhii Tiurin, the first deputy chief of Khmelnytskyi Regional Military Administration, reported on the explosions and the air defense in the region.

"Explosions are heard in the Khmelnytskyi region. Air defense is activated," he said.

At 05:03, rockets were reported in the direction of Starokostiantynov. "Again. They want to destroy the Su-24 with cruise missiles that kill the Russians far in the rear," the monitoring chat said.

A little later, explosions rang out in Kolomyia, which has an airfield that was recently attacked.

At 05:12, explosions began to ring out in the Lviv region. The Air Forces reported the danger for the town of Stryi. Two explosions were also heard and thundered in Lutsk. Later, Polishchuk noted: "One of the industrial enterprises was hit. According to initial reports, there are casualties. The information is being clarified." Pohuliaiko also reported that two victims are currently known to be injured.

Polishchuk added that all services are working at the site. At 07:35, Pohuliaiko reported:

"Unfortunately, as a result of the hit, we have victims. As of now, three people have been killed. Several more victims are in the hospital."

Starting from 05:18 and until 05:30, explosions were heard in Lviv; the anti-aircraft defense was also activated. Later, Andrii Sadovyi reported:

"Many missiles were shot down, but we also have hits in Lviv. Unfortunately, private residences were also affected. The relevant services are all already on their way out."

The impact caused a fire in residential buildings on the upper floors. Later, Sadovyi added that the rocket landed in the yard of the kindergarten.

Over a hundred apartments were damaged, over 500 windows were broken, and the kindergarten was destroyed.

According to the city's mayor, four people are receiving medical assistance. There is no threat to their lives.

The head of the Lviv region, Maksym Kozytskyi, also reported:

"In Lviv, rocket debris fell on multi-apartment residential buildings on Patona and Kakhovska streets. There was a fire. There is destruction. People were evacuated. There are victims. They are provided with all necessary medical assistance. Information about the dead has not been received so far."

Kozytskyi noted that small fires were recorded in other parts of Lviv and were extinguished. The ceiling collapsed due to falling rocket fragments in one of the city's hypermarkets. There is damage to vehicles.

Background

After the collapse of the USSR, 19 supersonic Tu-160 (Pryluky air base) and 21 turboprop Tu-95MS (Uzyn air base) remained in Ukraine.

In 1999, eight Tu-160s were given to the Russian Federation by the then government " to pay for gas," nine missile carriers were physically sawed, and one was left in the aviation museum in Poltava.

Exactly 22 years before the full-scale Russian invasion, on February 23, 2000, Ukraine finished transferring cruise missiles (about 600) and its bombers to the Russian Federation. They were transferred to Engels, from where they now take off and bombard Ukraine.

Officially, Moscow charged Kyiv about $285 million in "gas debts" for this and some airfield equipment. The agreement on the transfer of "carcasses" was signed in Yalta in the fall of 1999 under President Leonid Kuchma and his Russian counterpart Boris Yeltsin. Prime Ministers Valerii Pustovoitenko and Vladimir Putin signed as the heads of government.

On August 14, the Russian invaders attacked Odesa three times. The air defense forces shot down 15 attack UAVs and 8 Kalibr-type missiles. The debris of the downed missiles damaged a supermarket and a hostel. Three people were injured. After the night attack of the Russian occupiers with Kalibrs and Shaheds, 203 buildings were damaged in Odesa.