A Russian missile attack on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv killed four people and wounded nine others on Thursday, according to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
The attack was part of a wider escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting against Ukrainian forces since 2014. The conflict has claimed more than 13,000 lives and displaced over a million people.
Klymenko said the missile hit a residential building near a military hospital in Lviv, a cultural and historical center of Ukraine that is about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the front line. He said the victims included two women, a man and a child.
“This is a war crime and a crime against humanity,” Klymenko said at a press conference. “We will not let this go unpunished.”
He said the missile was launched from Russia’s Rostov region, which borders eastern Ukraine. He said Ukraine had evidence of Russia’s involvement and would present it to the international community.
Russia has denied any role in the attack and accused Ukraine of provoking the conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine was trying to shift the blame for its own failures.
“We categorically reject any accusations of Russia’s involvement in this tragedy,” Peskov said. “We express our condolences to the families of the victims and hope for a speedy recovery of the injured.”
The missile strike came amid rising tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine. The U.S. and its allies have accused Russia of amassing troops and weapons near the border with Ukraine, raising fears of a possible invasion. Russia has said it is conducting military exercises in response to NATO’s activities in the region.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Tuesday and agreed to hold talks on strategic stability and security issues. Biden warned Putin that the U.S. would respond with “strong economic and other measures” if Russia invaded Ukraine.
The U.N. Security Council also held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to de-escalate and resume dialogue.
“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the recent escalation of tensions in and around Ukraine,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. “He calls on all parties to refrain from any actions or rhetoric that could further increase tensions or lead to miscalculation.”
