Russian missile hits airport area in Ukraine's Lviv: Mayor

(Photo credit: Reuters)

New Delhi: Russian missiles on Friday hit the airport of Ukraine`s western city of Lviv, its mayor Andriy Sadovy said, though he added that the airport itself had not been attacked.

Authorities are assessing the situation and will issue updates, he said as per a Reuters report.

Earlier, television station Ukraine 24 said at least three explosions had been heard in the city of Lviv.

Reuters has reported that at least three blasts were heard near Lviv`s airport on Friday morning, with videos on social media showing large explosions and mushroom-shaped plumes of smoke rising.

Lviv`s mayor, Andriy Sadovy, said several missiles has struck an aircraft maintenance facility, destroying buildings but causing no casualties.

The city has escaped significant fighting so far.

Meanwhile, Japan and Australia imposed new sanctions on Russian entities as punishment for its invasion.

Despite battleground setbacks and punitive sanctions by the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown little sign of relenting.

The Russian government says it is counting on China to help Russia withstand blows to its economy.

The United States, which this week announced $800 million in new military aid to Kyiv, is concerned China is "considering directly assisting Russia with military equipment to use in Ukraine," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Russia on February 24 launched a military operation against Ukraine that it said was retaliation in response to a so-called ‘genocide’ in the separatist states of the country.

(With inputs from Reuters)