Russia hits military base near Poland, journalist killed near Kyiv

The base was used by NATO to train the Ukrainian army

Russia fired 30 missiles towards a military base near Poland, according to Ukrainian officials.

The missiles struck a military base in Yavoriv, by Lviv. The facility is used by NATO to train Ukrainian military.

At least 35 people were killed by the attack, while 134 are injured, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack marks Russia’s first attempt at assaulting Ukraine from the West.

Daniel Szeligowski, a Senior Research Fellow on Ukraine at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, described the attack as a “middle finger shown to the US” on Twitter.

He explained that the US led Multinational Training Group - Ukraine there. The US Army National Guard was training the Ukrainian army at the same base before the war broke out.

“I hope the Biden administration finally get the message. Stop telling Putin what you will not do, tell him what you will do,” Szeligowski said.

Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy said that 1,300 Ukrainian troops have died in the conflict to date.

Nonetheless, Zelenskyy said on Saturday that negotiators are discussing concrete proposals with Russia, while Russian president Vladimir Putin said there had been positive shifts during talks.

In Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital has transformed into a fortress. Images from its border show damaged armoured vehicles and anti-tank defences.

But Russian forces appear to be regrouping outside the city with the aim of advancing on Kyiv.

Brent Renaud, an American photojournalist and filmmaker, was shot dead in the town of Irpin outside Kyiv. He is the first reporter to die in the conflict.