Ukraine-Russia war: Rally held in Philadelphia in wake of new attacks

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dozens of Philadelphians gathered at City Hall Monday afternoon to show support for Ukraine.

It's an increasingly dire situation in Ukraine as Russian forces launched more than 80 missile strikes throughout the country.

Russia retaliated Monday for an attack on a critical bridge by unleashing its most widespread strikes against Ukraine in months, a lethal barrage that smashed civilian targets, knocked out power and water, shattered buildings and killed at least 14 people.

Ukraine's Emergency Service said nearly 100 people were wounded in the morning rush hour attacks that Russia launched from the air, sea and land against at least 14 regions, spanning from Lviv in the west to Kharkiv in the east. Many of the attacks occurred far from the war's front lines.

SEE ALSO: Russia unleashes biggest attacks on Ukraine in months, targeting Kyiv after Crimea bridge attack

Action News spoke to people who have family still in the country.

"It's just so, so emotional, knowing what they are going through every day. They are living hearing bombs dropping," said President of Ukrainian Human Rights, Ulana Mazurkevich.

Here in Philadelphia, while their connections may be different, their pleas are the same as they watch the war from afar.

"My family is still in Ukraine and a lot of friends," said Karina Smyrnova who planned the City Hall rally.

The latest round of attacks moved even closer to Smyrnova's family home of Dnipro located in Central Ukraine, about 300 Miles from the Russian border.

It's the first time that's happened since attacks on the country ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin began on February 24.

"It was so close to my parents, up to two miles from their home," said Smyrnova. "In February as I said, a lot of us feel fear. Now it's not fear, it's mostly anger and hate to what Russia does to our people."

Philadelphia's Ukrainian community continues to express support and hopes Putin's forces don't advance anymore.

They say the country needs the West to make that happen.

Many in attendance brought umbrellas. They say it's a symbol of shielding the Ukrainian sky from more bombs.

"I have to ask, how many more Ukrainian people and children have to be killed? How many more?" asked Mazur. "This brutality, this horror waged over Ukraine people is a sheer act of genocide."

The group here is asking for the same thing -- a no-fly zone and military support from the American government and other western governments.