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In the early hours of Sunday, the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, usually seen as one of the safest urban centers in the country, suffered among its most serious assaults following the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.

For five hours, Russian Iranian-designed drones and rockets targeted the urban area, located around 70 kilometers from the Polish border. Significant explosions could be heard from the downtown area, a Unesco world heritage site.

Casualties and Destruction Across the Country

Nationwide, no fewer than five people lost their lives – four in the region of Lviv and one in the city of Zaporizhzhia. Additionally, 14 individuals sustained injuries. Included among the victims was a 15-year-old girl, who perished along with three other family members when their residence was struck.

Part of Lviv was left without electricity, as reported by the city leader. Major blazes broke out in several areas, including a industrial zone in the southern part of the urban center.

While the pungent odor of burning and fumes engulfed the area, the local administration head urged residents to close their windows and refrain from venturing outdoors or to use protective masks or respirators.

International Reactions and Security Measures

Poland's air force stated it scrambled jets and implemented defensive measures to secure its territorial skies following a previous violation by Russian decoy drones. There were also numerous drone sightings last week in EU countries such as Denmark and Germany.

• Over fifty rockets and approximately 500 attack drones were involved in the assault.
• Weaponry comprised long-range guided missiles, Iranian-designed Shaheds and high-speed ballistic rockets.
• Several regions were affected, among them Ivano-Frankivsk region, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Odessa, Kherson, Sumy, Kharkiv oblast and Chernihiv territory.

Call for International Support

The nation's leader called on international partners to help boost air defences and to impose a no-fly zone – a step that to date been met with reluctance.

"An independent cessation of hostilities in the skies is attainable – and it is exactly this which could pave the path to genuine negotiations. America and Europe must take action to compel Russian leadership cease," the statement noted.

Over the past few days, Russia has focused on the nation's power facilities, causing electricity outages in several regions, a tactic employed in the approach to winter for the past three years. At the same time, Ukraine has been target oil production facilities deep inside Russian territory with its own extended-range unmanned aircraft.

Cultural Consequences

Lviv was in the midst of the annual Lviv literary festival, with writers and audiences assembled in the city for a major literary events in eastern Europe.

In addition to Ukrainian writers, including poets Artur Dron and Julia Musakovska, there were international speakers featuring UK-based award-winning poet Fiona Benson, and, participating by remote connection, the Booker prize-winner Bernardine Evaristo, and the Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk.

On Sunday morning, debris was continuing to descend on the roads of Lviv, as fatigued residents emerged and attended church services. The damaged wreckage of a unmanned aircraft lay on a sidewalk outside a apartment building, cordoned off with red tape.