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Russia Attacks Western Ukraine With Missiles and Drones: Lviv University Hit, Two Killed in Chernivtsi
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia’s war is no longer confined to Ukraine’s frontlines. On July 12, a wave of missiles and drones slammed into cities from Kharkiv to Chernivtsi—one of the country’s westernmost regions—killing civilians, damaging universities, and proving there are no safe zones left.
In the early hours of July 12, Russia conducted a coordinated missile and drone strike across multiple regions of Ukraine, with confirmed casualties and widespread damage reported in Chernivtsi, Kharkiv, Lviv, Lutsk, Kirovohrad, and Cherkasy.
According to Chernivtsi regional governor Ruslan Zaparanyuk, four Shahed-type drones and one missile targeted the city, causing multiple fires and significant structural damage.
A 26-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were killed by falling debris, and at least 14 others were injured—four of them critically.
Emergency services confirmed that several residential buildings, commercial properties, administrative offices, and vehicles were damaged in the strike. In the nearby Storozhynetska community, a drone damaged a home and a vehicle; no casualties were reported there.
Across Ukraine, air defense systems were activated in response to the large-scale attack, which included cruise missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces launched 26 missiles and 597 drones during the night, with the majority being intercepted.
In Kharkiv, eight drones and two guided bombs struck the city, damaging residential areas and critical infrastructure. Fires broke out in the Kyivskyi district, and three civilians sustained injuries, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov and regional officials.
In Lviv, one drone directly hit a residential building, collapsing an apartment section and causing gas and water leaks. Several other buildings, including a kindergarten and industrial facilities, were also damaged.
Four civilians sought medical assistance, one of whom was hospitalized, according to Lviv regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi.
The strike also damaged three academic buildings of the Lviv Polytechnic National University. According to university rector Nataliia Shakhovska, the hardest hit was Building No. 5 on Stepana Bandery Street, where approximately 100 windows were shattered. Additionally, 15 windows were broken in Building No. 1, and 10 in Building No. 4. Some lecture halls were also damaged.
In Lutsk, Russian forces launched missiles and drones at the city, destroying a private residence and damaging multiple other structures. Local authorities reported no casualties.
In the Kirovohrad region, approximately ten private homes were damaged by blast waves in one community. No injuries were reported.
Cherkasy region authorities reported the downing of a Russian missile and 20 drones. Eight homes were damaged by explosions, and approximately 50 households experienced temporary power outages.
President Zelenskyy emphasized the scale and intensity of the attack, calling for urgent decisions from international partners. He urged for stronger secondary sanctions on entities aiding Russia’s drone production and oil revenues, and called for increased air defense support and investment in Ukrainian drone-interceptor technologies.
Search-and-rescue operations and damage assessments are ongoing across the affected regions.
Earlier on July 11, a Russian Shahed drone strike in Kharkiv injured at least nine people and damaged a maternity hospital, prompting the evacuation of mothers and newborns. According to local officials, the attack hit a residential building in the Saltivskyi district. In Chuhuiv, two private homes were destroyed and three people injured in a separate drone strike.
