Russian attack kills 16 residents in Ukrainian city

A Russian missile attack killed at least 16 residents and damaged hospital and municipal infrastructure in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv yesterday, local officials said. As Russia continues to pound Ukrainian cities starved for air defence, the country's top officials intensified pleas for international support, saying the devastation could have been avoided. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for determination and support from allies hours after the attack. "This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence equipment and if the world's determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient," Zelensky said. Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition, with vital funding from the US blocked by Republicans in Congress for months and the EU failing to deliver munitions on time. Chernihiv's mayor, Oleksandr Lomako, said explosions ripped through a busy part of the city just after 9:00 am, destroying civilian infrastructure. "Unfortunately, Russia continues to engage in terrorist activity against civilians and civilian infrastructure as confirmed by this strike on Chernihiv once again," Lomako told Ukrainian TV.