Russian missiles slam into a Ukraine city and kill 11 people as the war approaches a critical stage

Three Russian missiles slammed into a downtown area of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on April 17, hitting an eight-floor apartment building and killing at least 11 people

Three Russian missiles slammed into a downtown area of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on April 17, hitting an eight-floor apartment building and killing at least 11 people, authorities said.

At least 22 people were wounded in the morning attack, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said. Chernihiv lies about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of the capital, Kyiv, near the border with Russia and Belarus, and has a population of around 2,50,000 people.

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The latest Russian bombardment came as the war stretched into its third year and approached what could be a critical juncture as a lack of further military support from Ukraine's Western partners increasingly leaves it at the mercy of the Kremlin's bigger forces.

Through the winter months, Russia made no dramatic advance along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, focusing instead on attritional warfare. However, Ukraine's shortage of artillery ammunition, troops and armored vehicles has allowed the Russians to gradually push forward, military analysts say.

A crucial element for Ukraine is the holdup in Washington of approval for an aid package that includes roughly $60 billion for Ukraine. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that he would try to move the package forward this week.

Ukraine's need is now acute, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.