Ukraine FM slams Russia for spreading 'missile terror'; calls for more sanctions on Moscow

As Russian troops launched a barrage of missile strikes on the west Ukrainian city of Lviv on Tuesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed that it is a result of "desperation" from the losses Moscow is facing in Ukraine. Taking to Twitter, the foreign minister of the embattled ex-Soviet nation called for "more sanctions" against Moscow. He also urged the international community to provide "more heavy weapons" to Kyiv in order to thwart Russian expansionist behaviour.

Russia's missile terrorism must be punished: Kuleba

Kuleba further slammed Russian troops for the missile strikes in Lviv. He also called for adequate punishment for the "missile terrorism" waged by the invading troops.

The Ukrainian FM's remarks come after Russia hit the western city of Lviv with three missiles, one landing on a power substation located along the Poland border. Siren and alarms went on immediately, with Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi urging people to take shelters. As per Associated Press, four distinct blasts were heard from downtown Lviv for the first time in weeks. The attacks came shortly after actress and activist Angelina Jolie made a surprise visit to Lviv. Also, the Dutch ambassador along with a small number of staff returned to Lviv to assess the security situation before reopening the embassy in the embattled nation. This comes after at least seven people were killed on April 18 in the west Ukrainian city.

Russian strikes renewed on port city of Odessa

Meanwhile, Russian troops renewed strikes on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa. A 15-year-old boy was killed after a bomb hit a residential building that housed 5 people at the time of the attack, Odesa City Council wrote on Telegram. Mostly Russian-speaking, the port city on the coast of the Black Sea has been a recent target of the Russian attack. On April 23, Russia launched fatal strikes on the city, killing eight people, including a 3-months-old. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has lashed out at Moscow, calling on the international community to designate Russia as a "sponsor of terrorism" after the attack. On the other hand, Mariupol has remained mired under Russian bombings. However, on Tuesday, around 157 stranded citizens from the Azovstal steel plant were evacuated through green corridors. The civilians along with thousand of Ukrainian defenders had been trapped in the huge steel plant for weeks.

(Image: AP)