The Yavoriv military base was attacked by Russian forces on 13 March 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The base is located near the city of Yavoriv, Lviv Oblast, less than 15 miles (24 km) from the border with Poland. According to Ukrainian officials, the military facility was hit by 30 Russian missiles, causing the deaths of 35 Ukrainian soldiers and at least 100 people from the international legion, while many others were injured. According to Russian officials, 180 foreign mercenaries were killed.[3][4][5][6] Later, the Ukrainian police confirmed that 61 people were killed and 160 were injured.[1]
Events
As many as 1,000 foreign fighters had been training at the base as part of the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.[7] Air raid sirens sounded during the night and though automated air defense equipment arrested some incoming ordinance, several buildings including the headquarters were struck with cruise missiles carrying payloads of up to 500kg.[citation needed]
The Russian Ministry of Defence announced that it had destroyed "up to 180 foreign mercenaries and a large consignment of foreign weapons" and said that Russia would continue attacks on foreign fighters in Ukraine; the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said that it had not confirmed any foreigners among the dead.[8] On 14 March, British newspaper The Mirror said that at least three British ex-special forces volunteers may have been killed in the attack, with the total amount of dead volunteers potentially surpassing one hundred.[9]
Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov described the strike as a "terrorist attack on peace and security near the EU-Nato border".[5] A NATO official stated that there were no NATO personnel at the base, as all personnel had left the country prior to the invasion.[10]
.jpg)
