A devastating incident unfolded in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv as a Russian missile struck, resulting in the tragic loss of seven lives, including that of a six-year-old child. The impact left 110 people wounded, with 12 of them being children. An additional 25 individuals were hospitalized due to the attack. Among the victims were those who had been celebrating an Orthodox religious holiday at a church.
The assault caused extensive damage, affecting a central square, a university building, and a renowned theatre. The UN unequivocally condemned the attack, labeling it a “heinous” act. The city’s iconic theatre bore the brunt of the strike, leading to tiles being blown off neighboring structures, and one building catching fire 100 meters away.
Disturbingly, the theatre was hosting a gathering of drone manufacturers at the time of the alleged Russian strike, as stated by Oleksandr Lomako, acting mayor of Chernihiv. Lomako characterized the incident as a “terrorist attack” and a “war crime.” The impact of the missile strike on civilians and civilian infrastructure left no room for ambiguity, constituting yet another grim chapter in a series of Russian war crimes.
Chernihiv, positioned approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the Belarusian border, was besieged by Russia at the onset of the invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conveyed that Russia had transformed an “ordinary Saturday” into a day of “pain and loss.”
The United Nations expressed extreme distress over the attack, deeming it reprehensible to target a city’s main square during morning hours when people are engaging in their daily routines. Denise Brown, the current head of the UN in Ukraine, emphasized that such attacks on civilians or civilian establishments are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.
As Chernihiv grapples with this tragedy, three days of mourning have been declared in the city. Moscow’s response remains pending.
In another development, Russia claimed that a Ukrainian drone struck a military airfield in the northwest Novgorod region, resulting in a brief fire that was swiftly contained. Although one plane incurred damage, no casualties were reported.
On a separate front, Kyiv’s air force reported that Ukrainian forces successfully neutralized 15 out of 17 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Moscow in an overnight strike.
