According to Ukrainian officials, a Russian missile strike in the center of a northern Ukrainian city on Saturday resulted in the deaths of seven individuals and the injuries of over one hundred, including children.
The Chernihiv attack occurred as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Sweden for his first international travel since attending a NATO summit in Lithuania a month ago.
Visual documentation of the destruction revealed severely damaged structures, including a theater that had its roof completely destroyed, mangled automobiles, and survivors who were navigating the debris while wearing blood-stained clothing. The Ukrainian minister of the interior, Ihor Klymenko, claimed that the daytime attack, which resulted in the death of a six-year-old girl, injured 129 individuals, including fifteen minors.
Klymenko reported that the square in front of the theater building was bustling with individuals returning from church with containers of consecrated apples in honor of the Apple Feast of the Savior religious holiday. In the wake of the assault, the square was strewn with shattered glass from the windows of adjacent automobiles and restaurants, as well as theater roof debris. The mayor provided the public with assurance that the damage would be repaired promptly.
On Saturday, August 19, 2023, firefighters in Chernihiv, Ukraine, were observed repairing the roof of the Taras Shevchenko Chernihiv Regional Academic Music and Drama Theatre, which was damaged by a Russian attack. This image was captured from video footage supplied by the Ukrainian Emergency Service. (AP via Ukrainian Emergency Service)
At the time of the missile’s impact, a CBS News team was en route to the city center.
Lilia disclosed to CBS News, “I observed sparks and fire, and we began to plummet; the glass was fractured.” “There was a collective shriek.”
The initial responders who arrived at the scene and the local residents were both taken aback. According to Andriy Yashchenko, a Red Cross employee who spoke with CBS News, the attack caught everyone off guard. Chernihiv has been spared the most severe aspects of the conflict for the majority of this year.
“Many individuals were injured in the process of saving lives,” Yashchenko elucidated. Additionally, it is regrettable that so many individuals lost their lives. Additionally, there was substantial hemorrhage.
The event’s organizer, Mariia Berlinska, confirmed that the strike took place at the theater, where drone manufacturers and aerial reconnaissance training institutions were meeting. Berlinska asserted that the event had been duly approved by both the venue and the local authorities in advance. The Chernihiv City Council denied that it had granted permits or consent for the event.
According to Zelenskyy, the assault served as evidence that Russia is a “terrorist state” that necessitates international solidarity.
He posted on Telegram, “Our Chernihiv was struck by a Russian missile in the precise center of the city.” “A polytechnic university, a plaza, and a theater.” An ordinary Saturday in Russia was transformed into a day of anguish and loss.
A Russian force withdrawal occurred in Chernihiv subsequent to the restoration of Ukrainian authority over the regions north of Kyiv in April of the previous year.
Zelensky’s clandestine entrance in Sweden on Saturday marked his first visit to the Scandinavian nation since the full-scale invasion began. Sweden abandoned its longstanding policy of military nonalignment in response to the conflict in order to supply Ukraine with weapons and submit an application for NATO membership. Nevertheless, the alliance has not yet accepted Sweden’s application.
Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson jointly disclosed their agreement to collaborate on the production, training, and maintenance of Swedish CV90 infantry combat vehicles at a news conference that was conducted simultaneously. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will commence vehicle production in accordance with the agreement. Furthermore, the president of Ukraine underscored the necessity of modernizing the Ukrainian armed forces to counter Russian aggression.
On Saturday, August 19, 2023, in Chernihiv, Ukraine, a Ukrainian serviceman carries a flag in close proximity to a restaurant that has been significantly damaged by a Russian attack because of its breached entrance.
Furthermore, he encouraged Kristersson to “share” the Swedish Gripen fighter aircraft with Ukraine.
“Our fleet of aircraft and our aviation superiority are both antiquated.” The Swedish Gripen is, in fact, the national pride of your nation, and I am confident that the prime minister would convey this sentiment to the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy stated.
Sweden has indicated that it will allow Ukrainian pilots to evaluate Gripen aircraft; however, it has not yet committed to providing Kyiv with any Gripen aircraft.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine will receive “appropriate aircraft” in the upcoming weeks.
“I will also be involved in discussions with a number of additional states the following day and tomorrow.” “I am confident that we will make every effort to ensure that the Russians do not have an advantage in the sky by achieving the necessary objectives in collaboration with our allies,” he continued.
The United States authorized the delivery of F-16 fighter aircraft manufactured in the United States to Ukraine, as announced by Denmark and the Netherlands on Friday.
According to reports, Sweden has provided Ukraine with CV90 armored vehicles, Leopard 2 tanks, Archer artillery units, and Leopard 2 tanks, totaling 1.7 billion euros in military assistance. The action was approved after the Parliament of the nation voted in favor of it.
In Chernihiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, August 19, 2023, a man reacts in close proximity to a restaurant that has been damaged by a Russian attack.
Zelenskyy convened with Kristersson and other Swedish officials at Harpsund, the prime minister’s official summer residence, which is situated approximately 75 miles west of Stockholm. He and his wife, first lady Olena Zelenska, later encountered Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at a palace in the vicinity.
Kristersson conveyed his sympathies to Zelenskyy in the wake of the Chernihiv attack. He referred to the Russian missile strike as a “act of savagery,” which “only serves to underscore the necessity of our solidarity with you in all of your endeavors.”
Ukraine’s air force reported that it successfully intercepted 15 of the 17 Russian drones that were aimed at the northern, central, and western regions over the course of the previous night and into Saturday.
According to Serhii Tiurin, the deputy governor of the western Khmelnytskyi region, an attack resulted in the destruction of numerous structures and the injury of two individuals.
Gov. Vitalii Bunechko reported that a fire was caused by a Russian drone attack that targeted an infrastructure facility in the northwestern Zhytomyr region. However, no casualties were reported. The incident is currently being investigated.
