Shigeru Ban has visited the city of Lviv in western Ukraine twice since the Russian invasion began. The first time, in September last year, ¡°most of the ground floor of buildings was covered by sandbags,¡± the Japanese architect recalls. ¡°As soon as I checked into my hotel, they showed me the basement shelter in case I had to escape.¡±
When Ban, 66, returned to Lviv in June this year, the sandbags were mostly gone and he ¡°felt that life was more normalized.¡± However, soon after, the city was hit by a Russian missile strike that killed 10 civilians, prompting Human Rights Watch to a ¡°possible war crime.¡±
¡°So even on the west side of Ukraine, there is no safe place,¡± Ban says.
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