UPDATE: Russian missile attack on Chernihiv kills 18, injures 78, including children

The death toll of a Russian missile attack on the city of Chernihiv on April 17 has risen to 18, the State Emergency Service reported.

In total, 78 people, including four children, were confirmed injured as of the morning of April 18. The search and rescue operation was completed at around 9:15 a.m. local time.

Russian forces launched a missile attack on the city of Chernihiv on the morning of April 17. Explosions were heard in Chernihiv, located in Ukraine's north, at around 9 a.m. local time.

An eight-story building was destroyed in the attack, while four high-rise buildings, a hospital, a higher education institution, and dozens of cars were damaged, according to Oleksii Kuleba, a deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Office.

Chernihiv Oblast is located on Ukraine's northern border with Russia and was partially occupied at the beginning of Russia's full-scale war in February 2022.

Russian forces withdrew from Chernihiv Oblast in April 2022, but due to its proximity to the border, the region has been attacked since on a near-daily basis.

Chernihiv strike shows lack of air defense resulting in civilian deaths, Kuleba says

“Three days ago in the Middle East, we saw what reliable protection of human lives from missiles looks like,” Kuleba said.

The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court