Ukraine explosions kill policewoman, wound 15 in 'terror' attack
A devastating "terror" attack in Lviv, Ukraine, involving two explosions, resulted in the death of a policewoman and injuries to 15 others, occurring as officers investigated a break-in.
On February 22, 2026, a 23-year-old policewoman was killed and at least 15 people were wounded in multiple explosions in Lviv, western Ukraine. The incident occurred around midnight near Lviv's city center when police responded to a reported shop break-in. The first explosion detonated as an initial police patrol arrived at the scene, followed shortly by a second blast when a second crew reached the area. A patrol car and civilian vehicle were damaged in the explosions.
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi (also spelled Sadovy) immediately labeled the incident a terrorist act, stating on Facebook/Telegram: "This is definitely an act of terror." He expressed condolences to the officer's family and noted that some of the injured were in serious condition. The National Police confirmed preliminary findings of homemade explosive devices being used in the attack.
Lviv's regional prosecutor's office opened an investigation into a "terrorist act causing serious consequences," though no suspects had been identified at the time of reporting. The incident was particularly notable because Lviv, located near the Polish border and distant from the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war, rarely experiences deadly city-center blasts despite sporadic incidents since Russia's 2022 invasion.
Separately on the same night, Russia launched strikes on Ukraine with dozens of drones and ballistic/cruise missiles targeting energy infrastructure in Kyiv, Odesa, and central regions, injuring at least one person in Kyiv and causing fires in Odesa. However, no direct link was reported between the Lviv incident and these Russian strikes. The attack occurred amid ongoing tensions in the region, though Lviv has generally been less affected by direct combat compared to eastern Ukrainian cities.
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