In Chernihiv, northern Ukraine, a local man covered a body that was killed after a Russian missile attack. The men then sat grieving by the covered corpse.

　　In Chernihiv (Chernihiv), northern Ukraine, a local man covered a body that was killed after a Russian missile attack. The men then sat grieving by the covered corpse. Footage from the immediate aftermath showed badly damaged buildings, including a theater with its roof blown off, mangled cars, and survivors walking through the rubble in bloodied clothing. The square in front of the theater was alive with people returning from church with baskets of consecrated apples in their hands, celebrating the religious holiday of the Apple Festival of the Savior. Shards of the theater roof littered the square after the missile strike, as well as shattered windows of nearby cars and restaurants.

　Russian forces launched a missile attack on Chernihiv, the capital of Chernihiv Oblast in northern Ukraine, on August 19, 2023. It hit the central square in the center of Chernihiv, killing seven people, including a six-year-old girl, and wounding 144, 41 of whom were hospitalized, Ukrainian authorities said. Of the 144 injured, 15 were children. The dead girl's name was Sofia. Of the 144 injured, 15 were police officers. Most of the victims were in their cars. On August 19, a missile attack erupted as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Sweden on a visit.

　Chernihiv, located about 145 km north of the capital Kiev, had lush boulevards and centuries-old churches. The attack on Chernihiv coincided with the Orthodox holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The square in front of the damaged theater and surrounding buildings were littered with debris, and parked vehicles were severely damaged. The roof of the historic theater was ripped off by the missile attack. Shortly thereafter, survivors walked through the rubble in badly damaged buildings, including a theater with its roof blown off, mangled cars, and bloodied clothing. Ukrainian rescue workers worked at the site of the missile attack.

　The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggered the siege of Chernihiv. Russian forces failed to capture the city and instead bypassed Chernihiv through an alternative route to the capital, Kiev; on March 6, 2022, the Ukrainian government granted Chernihiv the special title of Hero City. The Russian siege was released on March 31.

Warning: A man covered a dead body after a Russian attack, in Chernihiv, Ukraine, August 19,2023. A　man sit beside a covered dead body after Russian attack. (National Police of Ukraine via AP)