Russian strikes destroy Ukrainian aircraft repair plant in Lviv, former safe haven 50 miles from Poland

Smoke from Russian strikes on Lviv
(Image credit: REUTERS/Roman Baluk)

Russian heavy bombers early Friday fired six cruise missiles from the Black Sea toward Lviv, a city less than 50 miles from Ukraine's border with Poland and, so far, a relatively safe harbor for civilians fleeing Russian shelling further east, Ukrainian officials said. Two of the missiles were shot down and four landed at an aircraft repair plant near Lviv's airport, destroying the buildings. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovy said work had already stopped at the plant and no casualties had been reported.

Russia has started firing missiles into Ukraine's far west, and Friday morning's "strike may have been an attempt to target the capabilities of Ukraine's air force," The New York Times reports. "According to a local news article from January, the plant at the airport had a contract to fix and modify MiG-29 fighter jets and was 'the only enterprise in Ukraine that refurbishes MiG-29s for the Ukrainian Air Force.'"

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.