Two Russian drones attacked a university and a museum on Monday that are linked to two of the most prominent defenders of Ukrainian national identity in the 20th century, prompting local residents to pledge to repair the damage. The first attack shattered windows and a large part of the roof at the National Agricultural University on the outskirts of Lviv in western Ukraine, where Stepan Bandera, considered one of Ukraine's "heroes" but regarded as a villain by the Kremlin, studied. This incident coincided with the 115th anniversary of Bandera's birth. The second drone strike caused damage to a neighboring museum dedicated to Roman Shukhevych. The two men were key figures in the national resistance against Soviet rule and were connected to Ukrainian forces that fought the Soviets during World War II.
Sophia Zdurivik, 82, remarked while people were clearing debris around her, "This is the building where Stepan Bandera studied. There is a memorial plaque for Bandera and a statue as well." Lviv’s mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, described the attack on the museum as a symbolic act, stating, "We will restore it after our victory." Moscow continues to invoke Bandera’s name to support its claims that it invaded Ukraine in 2022 to "eliminate Nazism" in the country, referring to the fact that some nationalists initially cooperated with German forces in their fight against the Russians, although they later fought the Nazis.
Vasyl Lapushnyak, the head of Lviv National Agricultural University, said, "Just hearing Bandera's name scares them (the Russians). It provokes their anger and hatred." He added, "They did not intimidate us with this (attack). It has unified us again and shown our strength."
