‘WE WILL FIGHT THE RUSSIANS BACK'

While hundreds of thousands of people fl eeing the destruction in the east have arrived in search of sanctuary, the citizens of Lviv have been preparing for the inevitable onslaught by Putin’s forces

- Lorenzo Tondo and Peter Beaumont

Authorities in Lviv, 80km from the border with Poland and a haven for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Ukrainians, last week ordered dozens of statues to be wrapped in padding to protect them from Russian attacks.

Despite being untouched by the bombings at that stage, the 700,000 inhabitants of this magnificent Unesco world heritage site knew their time would come.

So when the cities of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk, about 130km away, were targeted by Russian forces last Friday in one of the military attacks closest to the west since the beginning of the war, it came as no surprise.

The citizens of Lviv, among the strongest supporters of Ukraine’s separation from the Soviet Union, are well aware that their town – which is described as the soul of the country and a symbol of Ukrainian nationalism – represents everything the Kremlin despises.

“Every day, the Russians are coming closer and closer,” said Vasyl Dovhan, 28, who works at the Nobilis hotel in Lviv. “We are a bit scared, of course. But we are ready and united, and we will not surrender. We believe in Ukrainian forces and the international community is on our side. The world these days is finally watching the true face of the Russian regime, which will burn in hell for killing our innocent people.”