Russian forces launched a rare daytime drone strike on the center of Lviv on Tuesday, injuring more than a dozen people and damaging historic structures in the western Ukrainian city, officials said.
Local authorities said at least 13 people were hospitalized following the attack, with the number of casualties expected to rise as emergency crews continued rescue operations.
“There are already 13 injured people in hospitals, and the number is increasing,” Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said.
The strike hit central areas of Lviv, a city of more than 700,000 people located near the Polish border that has largely avoided the worst of the war until now.
Regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi said the attack damaged part of a historic site, believed to include St. Andrew’s Church, which is associated with a UNESCO-listed area.
“The strike hit the central part of the city. The threat remains high,” Kozytskyi said, urging residents to remain in shelters.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko condemned the attack, describing it as a strike on a populated city center during daylight hours.
The strike on Lviv came amid a broader wave of attacks across Ukraine, with officials reporting hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles launched overnight and into Tuesday.
Ukraine’s air force said nearly 400 long-range drones were deployed, along with cruise and ballistic missiles targeting multiple cities and infrastructure sites.
In addition to Lviv, attacks were reported in several regions, including central and western parts of the country. Apartment buildings, public infrastructure and transportation facilities were among the targets.
Officials said dozens of civilians were injured, including children, and several deaths were reported nationwide.
In Lviv, emergency responders worked to extinguish fires and search damaged buildings for survivors. The attack caused visible destruction in residential areas, with debris scattered across streets in the city center.
Elsewhere, strikes damaged residential buildings and public facilities, including hospitals and transportation networks.
Authorities said a train was also targeted during the wave of attacks, underscoring the scale of the assault.
The aerial bombardment coincides with increased fighting along the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine, where military officials say Russian forces are intensifying operations.
Ukraine’s military leadership reported a surge in attacks across multiple areas, with hundreds of engagements recorded in recent days.
Analysts say the escalation may signal the early stages of a broader seasonal offensive, as conditions improve for ground operations.
The latest strikes come as Ukraine continues to face sustained attacks more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire have stalled, with diplomatic initiatives yielding little progress. At the same time, other global conflicts have divided international attention.
The daylight strike on Lviv represents a notable shift in targeting patterns, as the city has historically been considered relatively secure compared with eastern and southern regions closer to active front lines.
Attacks during daylight hours can increase civilian exposure and disrupt daily life more significantly than nighttime strikes. The targeting of central urban areas also raises concerns about civilian safety and the preservation of cultural heritage.
The reported damage to a UNESCO-linked site highlights the risks to historically significant locations during modern conflicts. Such incidents often draw international concern and can increase diplomatic pressure.
At the same time, the scale of the broader assault, involving hundreds of drones and multiple missile types, shows how air power is being used to apply sustained pressure across large areas, stretching defenses and complicating response efforts.
The increase in front-line fighting suggests a coordinated strategy combining air attacks with ground operations. This approach is often aimed at weakening defenses and creating opportunities for territorial gains.
As the situation develops, Ukraine’s ability to respond to both air and ground threats will remain critical in shaping the course of the conflict.
