Ukraine War – Russian Strike in Sumy Kills Mother and Toddler
Ukraine War – Four civilians, including a mother and her young daughter, were killed after an overnight Russian drone attack struck the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, regional officials said on Friday. The strike came less than a day after a large-scale Russian missile and drone assault on Kyiv left at least 30 people dead.
Apartment Building Hit in Romny Community
Oleg Grygorov, head of the Sumy regional military administration, said the attack hit the Romny community during the night. A drone reportedly struck a residential apartment building, triggering a major fire.
“The number of people killed in the Romny community has increased to four following the overnight Russian attack,” Grygorov said in a statement shared on Telegram.
Authorities said two women, an elderly man and a girl under the age of two died in the strike. Grygorov said the toddler was killed along with her mother when the building was hit.
Three Residents Injured in the Attack
Three other people were injured in the incident, according to regional officials. Emergency teams were deployed to the damaged building as firefighters worked to contain the blaze and search the affected area.
Images released by the regional administration showed flames rising from the residential structure after the drone impact. Officials did not immediately provide further details about the condition of those injured or the scale of damage to nearby homes.
Kyiv Death Toll Rises After Major Assault
The Sumy attack followed a deadly Russian assault on Kyiv on Thursday, described by Ukrainian officials as one of the most intense attacks on the capital since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Rescue services said on Friday that at least 30 people had been confirmed dead in Kyiv after the barrage of drones and missiles. Search and rescue operations continued in several parts of the city as crews cleared damaged buildings and looked for people trapped under debris.
The attack added to pressure on Ukraine’s emergency services, which have been responding to repeated strikes on cities and towns far from the front line.
Ukrainian Strikes Reported in Russian Border Regions
Russian authorities also reported casualties from Ukrainian attacks on Friday in regions near the border with Ukraine.
In Belgorod, city mayor Valentin Demidov said a woman was killed after what he described as a Ukrainian missile strike early Friday. He said civilian infrastructure had been affected, leading to interruptions in water and electricity supplies in the city, which has a population of more than 300,000.
The claims could not be independently verified.
Drone Attack Reported in Bryansk Region
In Russia’s Bryansk region, acting governor Yegor Kovalchuk said one man was killed and two other people were injured in drone attacks. Local authorities did not immediately release further information about the locations targeted or the condition of those wounded.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defence systems intercepted 155 Ukrainian drones overnight between Thursday and Friday. The ministry said the drones were shot down over several Russian regions and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Civilian Casualties Continue Across Both Sides
The latest attacks underline the continuing impact of the war on civilian communities in both Ukraine and Russia’s border regions. Drone and missile strikes have become a regular feature of the conflict, with both sides reporting damage to homes, public services and other civilian facilities.
As emergency crews continue recovery operations in Sumy and Kyiv, officials are expected to provide updated casualty figures as more information becomes available.