The attack damaged residential buildings, a hospital, an educational facility and many private cars in the northern Ukrainian city near the Russian border, about 150 km from the capital Kyiv, the Reuters news agency reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Kyiv's allies to provide prompt air defence support to protect cities nationwide amid intensifying Russian strikes.
"This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence equipment and if the world's determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient," Zelensky wrote on the Telegram messaging app, as cited by Reuters.
Chernihiv acting mayor Oleksandr Lomako said: "Unfortunately, Russia continues to engage in terrorist activity against civilians and civilian infrastructure as confirmed by this strike on Chernihiv once again."
More than 60 people, including three children, were injured, he said on national television, as cited by state news agency Ukrinform.
Regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus said Russia used three Iskander cruise missiles to attack a busy central area of the city just after 9 a.m. local time.
Ukraine is facing an acute shortage of ammunition, including air defence systems and missiles, with vital funding from the United States blocked by Republicans in Congress for months and the European Union failing to deliver munitions on time, according to Reuters.
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks on cities across Ukraine, targeting the country's energy facilities and other critical infrastructure, according to reports.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
Wednesday is day 784 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Source: ukrinform.net, Reuters, IAR, PAP