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Russian missile strike on Lviv apartment block kills at least four, Ukrainian authorities say
A Russian missile attack struck a four-story apartment block overnight in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, killing at least four people and injuring 34, according to Ukrainian authorities.
In a tweet early Thursday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video of the destruction, showing the top two floors of the long, curved building either missing or reduced to rubble, and promised a “strong” response.
Lviv is the westernmost major city in Ukraine, just over 40 miles from the Polish border and more than 600 miles from the frontline of the conflict. Many Ukrainians have relocated there in search of safety since Russia’s invasion began in the east.
Around 60 apartments and 50 cars were damaged, Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said in a post on his Telegram channel. Rescuers are still searching among the debris for survivors and casualties.
“This is the biggest attack on Lviv’s civilian infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion,” Sadovyi said, according to a translation.
— Elliot Smith
No news to share on detained WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, White House says
US journalist Evan Gershkovich (REAR) arrested on espionage charges looks on as he stands inside a defendants’ cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended detention at The Moscow City Court in Moscow on June 22, 2023.
Natalia Kolesnikova | AFP | Getty Images
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the Biden administration did not have news to share regarding the release of detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia.
“I wish I can stand in front of you and say that we have news to share on Evan. Sadly, we do not have any news to share,” Jean-Pierre told reporters during a White House briefing.
“What I can say is Evan, along with Paul Whelan, who are both wrongfully detained, as you know, should be home. They should be home with their families. I just don’t have anything to share at this time,” she added.
Gershkovich was arrested by Russian authorities on March 29 on allegations of espionage. The Biden administration has denied that Gershkovich worked on behalf of the U.S. government as a spy.
— Amanda Macias
‘We cannot relax,’ IAEA chief says of tensions at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
A view of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on June 15, 2023.
Olga Maltseva | Afp | Getty Images
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi warned about rising tensions at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
“Nuclear power plants should never under any circumstances be attacked, nuclear power plants should not be used as a military base,” Grossi told reporters during a press conference in Japan.
“The IAEA is there to observe, to monitor this, and to inform the world community if this happens. In our latest inspections, we haven’t seen any activity, but, we remain extremely alert. As you know there is a counter-offensive ongoing, there is a lot of combat,” he said, according to an NBC News report.
“I have been there a few weeks ago and there is combat there, very close to the plant, so we cannot relax and we will be informing and updating constantly,” the head of the nuclear watchdog agency added.
— Amanda Macias
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