Chernihiv governor says city suffering ‘colossal losses and destruction’ in Russian strikes

By AP 17 March 2022, 3:22 pm

Edit

This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows burning buildings in a residential area in northeast Chernihiv, Ukraine, on March 16, 2022. (Maxar Technologies via AP)

LVIV, Ukraine — The northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv has experienced “colossal losses and destruction” amid heavy bombardment from Russian artillery and airstrikes, governor Viacheslav Chaus says.

Chaus tells Ukrainian TV that the bodies of 53 people “killed by the Russian aggressor from the ground or from the air” have been delivered to city morgues over the past 24 hours.

The Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office said yesterday 10 people were killed in Chernihiv while standing in line for bread. Russia has denied involvement.

Chaus says civilians are hiding in basements and shelters without access to utilities in the city of 280,000 people.

“The city has never known such nightmarish, colossal losses and destruction,” he says.

Chernihiv, which is close to the borders with Belarus and Russia, was among the first Ukrainian cities to come under attack from Russian forces when the invasion began three weeks ago.