What's happened
Russia launches missile strikes on western Ukraine, hitting cities near the border with Poland and killing at least three people.
Why it matters
The missile strikes by Russia on western Ukraine are significant as they indicate an escalation of the conflict and pose a threat to the security and stability of the region. The attacks on cities near the border with Poland also raise concerns about the potential spillover of the conflict into NATO territory.
What the papers say
According to the New York Times, 28 cruise missiles were fired by Russia, 16 of which were intercepted. The city of Lviv was badly hit, with a missile landing in a kindergarten yard and near apartment blocks, causing a fire and damaging over 100 homes. The Guardian reports that the missile strikes targeted multiple regions in Ukraine, including Lviv and Lutsk, resulting in casualties and damage to industrial facilities. Politico confirms that areas close to the frontline of the war, such as Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Cherkasy, were also targeted. Metro highlights that the city of Lviv, located near the border with Poland, was struck by Russian missiles, damaging residential buildings and a kindergarten. Al Jazeera mentions that the Ukrainian air force managed to shoot down one out of four hypersonic missiles fired by Russia at a military airfield in Ivano-Frankivsk. The Independent reports that an 8-year-old boy was killed when a Russian missile hit a house in Ivano-Frankivsk, and debris from intercep
How we got here
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing for over 17 months, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine leading to a full-scale war. Western Ukraine has been heavily targeted by Russian attacks, but strikes in the region have decreased as Russian missile stocks dwindled during the war.
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