33 killed in Russian attacks at Ukraine school, apartments

At least 33 people have been killed in an attack by the Russian troops at a town in northern Ukraine. Another 18 people were injured in the incident.

The Russian military carried out an attack at multi-storey residential buildings including a school on Thursday in the northern city of Chernihiv, Indian media NDTV reported this on Friday.

The city of Chernihiv is located 120 kilometers northeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The Russian military is launching heavy attacks on the city from the north.

On the morning of February 24, Russian troops entered Ukraine and launched an attack on the order of President Vladimir Putin. Russia’s armed forces were the first in Europe after World War II to launch an attack on Ukraine by land, air and sea. In these three-way attacks, Russia’s missiles rained down in different cities of Ukraine.

Many cities in the Eastern European country have been turned to rubble in the weeks since the onslaught. Besides military infrastructure, residential buildings, schools and hospitals have been targeted by Russia, as a result, more than 1 million Ukrainians have fled the country to save their lives.

Chernihiv’s deputy mayor Regina Gusak told AFP that the city was hit by a Russian “bombing attack”.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s emergencies service released images showing plumes of smoke coming out of heavily damaged apartments, with debris scattered across a yard. Rescuers were also seen carrying the bodies of those killed in the attack on stretchers.

“Russian aircraft have attacked two schools and a house in the SStaraya Podusivka area of Chernihiv,” Chernihiv Governor  Vyacheslav Chaus said on telegram. “Rescuers are working in the area.”

Although Russia invaded Ukraine more than a week ago, Moscow has repeatedly claimed that it is not targeting civilian areas, despite widespread evidence to the contrary.

Ukraine says at least 350 civilians have been killed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his attack.

The strikes came as Ukraine and Russian officials gathered for talks on a ceasefire on the Belarus-Poland border Thursday.

Putin on Thursday vowed to carry on with his advance in Ukraine in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.