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Early on Sunday, the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, typically seen as one of the safest locations in the country, experienced among its most serious strikes following the start of Russia's comprehensive invasion.

For five hours, Moscow's Shahed drones and missiles targeted the urban area, located about 70km from the border with Poland. Powerful explosions could be heard from the city center, a Unesco world heritage site.

Casualties and Destruction Throughout the Country

Nationwide, no fewer than five individuals were killed – four in the Lviv region and one in the Zaporizhzhia city. Additionally, 14 people sustained injuries. Among the victims was a 15-year-old girl, who died along with three other relatives when their residence was impacted.

Part of Lviv was left without electricity, according to the mayor. Significant fires broke out in multiple locations, including a industrial zone in the south of the city.

As the pungent smell of smoke and fumes permeated the area, the regional governor encouraged residents to keep windows shut and avoid venturing outdoors or to utilize protective masks or breathing apparatus.

International Responses and Security Actions

Polish military aviation stated it deployed fighter aircraft and took preventive action to secure its territorial skies following a recent incursion by Russian decoy drones. Additionally, there were numerous unmanned aircraft observations last week in European Union nations including Germany and Denmark.

• More than 50 missiles and about 500 attack drones were utilized in the attack.
• Weaponry comprised long-range guided missiles, Shahed-type drones and Kinzhal ballistic missiles.
• Multiple regions were affected, including Ivano-Frankivsk region, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Odesa, Kherson area, Sumy region, Kharkiv oblast and Chernihiv territory.

Appeal for Global Support

Ukrainian leadership urged allies to strengthen air defense systems and to impose a no-fly zone – a measure that to date been approached cautiously.

"An independent cessation of hostilities in the air is attainable – and it is precisely that which could open the way to real diplomacy. The United States and European nations must take action to compel Russian leadership cease," the statement noted.

Over the past few days, Russian forces has focused on the nation's power facilities, leading to power blackouts in multiple regions, a strategy employed in the lead-up to winter for the past three years. At the same time, Ukrainian forces continues to strike oil production facilities within Russian territory with its own extended-range unmanned aircraft.

Community Consequences

The city was in the midst of the yearly Lviv BookForum, with authors and audiences gathered in the urban center for one of the largest book festivals in the region.

In addition to local authors, such as literary figures Artur Dron and Julia Musakovska, there were global participants featuring UK-based award-winning poet Fiona Benson, and, participating by video link, the Booker Award recipient Bernardine Evaristo, and the Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk.

On Sunday morning, debris was continuing to descend on the streets of the city, as fatigued locals ventured out and participated in religious gatherings. The damaged wreckage of a Russian drone lay on a sidewalk outside a apartment building, marked off with red tape.