At around midnight on July 12, Russian forces launched a large-scale bombing across Ukraine. This time, the focus of the bombing included western Ukraine, with Lviv city being heavily bombed. Local Ukrainian officials confirmed that the Russian military used Kh-101 cruise missiles and Iranian "moto" Shahed-136 suicide drones in this bombing, resulting in at least four people injured in Lviv city and damage to multiple buildings, schools, and infrastructure. The large-scale bombing targeting Lviv in western Ukraine occurred between 2:35 am and 5:00 am on the 12th.
Maxym Kozitsky, the governor of Lviv Oblast, reported that the Russian armed forces deployed 10 Shahed-136 suicide drones and used cruise missiles to strike multiple areas in Lviv city. Ukraine admitted that its air defense system partially intercepted incoming targets, but some Russian missiles and suicide drones still managed to break through, causing actual damage. According to the report, an explosion occurred in a building in the Zaliznychny district, which led to a fire, burning 200 square meters. Large explosions were also reported near Andriyivska Street and Stepana Street in the center of Lviv city.
The large-scale bombing by Russian forces in western Ukraine caused panic among local residents in the region, with many people fleeing into underground shelters. The Ukrainian fire department was fully mobilized to extinguish fires. According to Ukrainian reports, this was the seventh consecutive hour of large-scale bombing by Russia against western Ukraine. In response to the Russian bombing, the Ukrainian Air Force even claimed: "Most of the Russian missiles and drones were intercepted." Intercepting Russian missiles and drones that hit ground buildings and military targets is also considered as "intercepting." If Russia can conduct such attacks for more than ten hours every day, the Ukrainians would have to stay in shelters all the time and do nothing else.
Locals in Ukraine also found remnants of Patriot-3MSE air defense missiles fired by the Ukrainian military on the streets of Kyiv, the capital. The Patriot-3MSE air defense missile, made in the United States, is the only anti-missile weapon that the Ukrainian air defense force can use to intercept Russian Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles. Currently, the United States hopes that its allies will deliver Patriot air defense missiles to support the Ukrainian military. However, there are few such allies, and the United States has urged Israel to hand over all retired Patriot air defense missiles it possesses to Ukraine.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837425003122696/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.