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In the early hours of Sunday, the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, often considered as one of the safest urban centers in the nation, suffered among its most intense strikes following the outset of Russia's full-scale military campaign.

Over a five-hour period, Russian Iranian-designed drones and missiles hit the city, located about 70 kilometers from the border with Poland. Significant explosions were audible from the city center, a Unesco world heritage site.

Victims and Damage Across the Country

Across the country, at least five individuals lost their lives – four individuals in the region of Lviv and another in the Zaporizhzhia city. Additionally, 14 individuals sustained injuries. Included among the victims was a 15-year-old girl, who perished along with three family members when their residence was impacted.

Sections of Lviv was experienced power outages, as reported by the city leader. Major fires erupted in several areas, including a civilian industrial park in the southern part of the city.

While the pungent odor of burning and fumes permeated the city, the regional governor encouraged residents to close their windows and refrain from venturing outdoors or to utilize gas masks or breathing apparatus.

Regional Reactions and Defense Measures

Poland's air force reported it deployed fighter aircraft and took preventive action to secure its territorial skies after a recent incursion by Russian decoy drones. Additionally, there were multiple unmanned aircraft observations last week in European Union nations including Germany and Denmark.

• More than fifty rockets and about 500 attack drones were utilized in the assault.
• Weaponry included long-range guided missiles, Iranian-designed Shaheds and Kinzhal ballistic missiles.
• Multiple regions were impacted, including Ivano-Frankivsk region, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Odessa, Kherson, Sumy region, Kharkiv and Chernihiv territory.

Call for International Assistance

The nation's leader urged international partners to strengthen air defences and to impose a restricted airspace – a step that to date been met with reluctance.

"A unilateral ceasefire in the skies is attainable – and it is precisely that which could open the way to genuine negotiations. The United States and European nations must take action to make Putin cease," the message noted.

Over the past few days, Russian forces has focused on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to power blackouts in multiple regions, a tactic employed in the approach to colder months for the past three years. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continues to strike fuel infrastructure within Russia with its domestically developed long-range drones.

Cultural Consequences

The city was in the midst of the annual Lviv literary festival, with authors and audiences gathered in the city for one of the largest book festivals in eastern Europe.

Alongside local authors, including literary figures Artur Dron and Julia Musakovska, there were international speakers featuring UK-based Forward prizewinning poet Fiona Benson, and, joining by video link, the Booker Award recipient Bernardine Evaristo, and the Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk.

On Sunday morning, debris was still falling on the streets of Lviv, as fatigued residents emerged and attended church services. The damaged wreckage of a Russian drone lay on a pavement near a apartment building, marked off with red tape.