Russian troops have struck Lviv, a Ukrainian city that is very close to the Poland border, as the European war entered the 18th day. The city was also a safe place for millions of refugees as they await their turn to go into Poland.
Russian troops' attack on Lviv has negated a wider belief that it will not attack a city which borders with a NATO member.
Lviv Not a Safe Place
Lviv was considered a safe place in Ukraine even under the conditions of the war. Washington had shifted its embassy from Kyiv to Lviv in the early days of the conflict when Russian troops were massed near the Ukraine border.
Kremlin troops targeted the military base in Lviv, which was just 12 miles away from Poland. Explosions were heard on the outskirts of the city and the attack reportedly killed at least 35 and injured dozens.
30 Cruise Missiles
The base was struck by eight missiles, according to the reports but regional Governer Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed 30 cruise missiles had been fired, killing 35 people and injuring 57 others. Pictures from the site show the facility is in ruins and medics are attending the wounded security personnel, according to the Daily Mail.
The military base was earlier used to host NATO drills and it has also housed foreign military instructors. But so far it remains unclear if anyone has been caught up in the strike.
The International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, also known as Yavoriv military complex, was targeted in the Russian missile strikes.
Threat Near NATO Border
With regard to the attack, the Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov reiterated his calls for a no-fly zone over his country as Moscow targeted the Peacekeeping center.
"Foreign instructors work here. Information about the victims is being clarified. This is a new terrorist attack on peace and security near the EU-NATO border. Action must be taken to stop this. Close the sky," he wrote on Twitter.
Lviv has served as a safe place for refugees, who came from other Ukrainian cities and are willing to enter Western countries in the wake of the attack.
Air raid sirens went off during the night in Lviv, which is home to nearly 7,00,000 people and has been peaceful so far in the current conflict.
