'The attack was organized by Russia' — Suspected terrorist strike in Lviv kills 2, injures 24
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Editor's note: This report was updated with the information about the death of a Ukrainian National Guard soldier on March 4.
The explosions that killed a police officer, Ukrainian National Guard soldier, and injured 24 other victims in western Ukraine's Lviv on Feb. 22, were part of a terrorist attack planned by Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address.
"It was indeed a terrorist attack, cynical and cruel," he said after being briefed by law enforcement and the Interior Affairs Ministry.
Two blasts rocked Lviv's historic Old Town in the early hours of Feb. 22, shattering windows in the area.
The explosions took place after officers arrived at the scene responding to a reported store intrusion, Ukraine's National Police said in a statement. A second explosion took place after another police crew arrived at the scene, Lviv Oblast's Prosecutor's Office added.
Explosions were heard by a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground at approximately 12:25 a.m. local time.
One officer was killed, and 25 people were injured in the blasts. Ukraine's national police identified the officer killed as 23-year-old Viktoria Shpylka.
On March 4, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported that a 31-year-old soldier of the National Guard of Ukraine, Yosyp Pavlynskyi, died in hospital after being injured as a result of the attack.
"That evening, he arrived at the scene of the explosion along with other services. He was helping to push people back and create a safe perimeter. It was at that moment that the second explosion occurred," Sadovyi said.
A 33-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with committing a terrorist attack, according to the General Prosecutor's Office. Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine's Interior Minister, announced the detention of a suspect on Sunday morning.
"The police, in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine, have arrested a suspected saboteur," Klymenko said.
The woman is a resident of Kostopil in northwestern Rivne Oblast, the Prosecutor's Office said. There is "objective evidence" that the suspect committed a terrorist attack, according to Nazar Markiv, head of the department for monitoring compliance with the law by regional security agencies.
The woman had been temporarily residing in Lviv since September 2025. She is suspected of planting the explosive devices at the scene of the attack the day before the blasts, fleeing by taxi, and detonating the devices remotely.
She was arrested in Staryi Sambir, a Lviv Oblast city close to the Polish border. According to Sadovyi, the detainee is a citizen of Ukraine.
Investigators found the woman used three homemade explosive devices triggered remotely via mobile phones. She allegedly lured police to the scene with a fake "illegal intrusion" report at a grocery store. The devices detonated once multiple patrols and National Guard units arrived. A smartphone was also installed in her rented apartment to provide a "live broadcast" of the target for the suspect’s handler to monitor the scene.
Zelensky said the attack was being thoroughly investigated, but that some facts about the case had already been confirmed.
"The perpetrators were recruited via Telegram," he said. "The attack was organized by Russia."
Zelensky said that the full details would be presented to the public by the Interior Ministry, the National Police, and the State Security Service (SBU) after the investigation.
"My condolences to the families. All necessary resources have been provided to the investigation," Zelensky said.
After the arrest, on Feb. 23, the Galician District Court of Lviv imposed a preventive measure on the suspect — detention without the right to bail until April 22, 2026, Suspilne Lviv reported.
According to the investigation, the suspect prepared and placed the explosives after a curator contacted her more than a week ago, offering her $1,000 for each explosive device.
The woman admitted she agreed because of debts, but added that she would not have participated if she had known the contents of the package.
"The suspect's testimony was brief, stating that she had clearly manufactured the homemade explosive device under the guidance of a man whose nickname is Mark," head of the Department for Oversight of Compliance with Laws by Regional Security Authorities of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office, Nazar Markiv, told Suspilne Lviv.
The pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings is being conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) under Part 3 of Article 258 of Ukraine's Criminal Code — a terrorist act that resulted in the death of a person, and Part 1 of Article 263 — illegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives.
The most severe penalty under these articles is life imprisonment.
Zelensky also said he had given orders to develop new measures to prevent similar crimes.
"We have intelligence indicating that the Russians intend to continue carrying out such actions — in effect, attacks on Ukrainians," he said. "We must strengthen protection for our people."
As of the evening of Feb. 22, 12 people have been hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the explosions, with two in serious condition. All of the injured victims, with the exception of one teenager, are law enforcement employees who responded to the call, Mayor Sadovyi said.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, citing Lviv's Saint Panteleimon Hospital, reported that as of the morning of Feb. 23, 14 people had been hospitalized, three of them in serious condition and receiving intensive care.
"This is a hostile special operation aimed at killing as many law enforcement officers as possible," Sadovyi said.
Klymenko echoed this sentiment, pointing out that Russia has previously targeted Ukrainian law enforcement in similar plots.
"There is every reason to believe that the crime was carried out on the orders of Russia. It's not the first time that the enemy has deliberately set up deadly traps for Ukrainian law enforcement officers," Klymenko said.
Marco, a 38-year-old Lviv resident walking his dog on the morning of Feb. 22, told a Kyiv Independent journalist at the scene that the attack was "nothing new," recalling terrorist attacks in Lviv in 2014–2015 suspected to be connected to Russia.
"Give long-range weapons to Ukraine so that we can finish this war," he said.
