Russian Glide Bomb Strikes Sumy Apartment, 2 Killed and 7 Injured in Ukraine
Details of the Attack and Ongoing Conflict
Sumy Apartment Bombing
Casualties and Immediate Aftermath
Sept 18 (Reuters) - A Russian glide bomb hit an apartment building in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Friday, killing two people and injuring seven, leaving three of them in serious condition, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other officials said.
Zelenskiy, writing on the Telegram messaging app, denounced the "absolutely inhuman strike". He said emergency crews had rescued four people after the attack and said others could still be trapped under rubble.
Rescue Operations
"There was a direct hit by an aerial bomb between the third and fourth floors. Four people have already been rescued from under the rubble, including a child," he wrote. "There may still be people under the rubble."
Regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov said three of the seven injured were in a serious condition. Among the injured was a 13-year-old girl.
Other Russian Strikes in Ukraine
Attacks on Pavlohrad and Kyiv
Zelenskiy said Russian forces had also hit a clinic in the central city of Pavlohrad and a logistics centre outside Kyiv, but provided no details on casualties.
Strike on Balakliia
An earlier Russian strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Balakliia killed two people and wounded two, Vitali Karabanov, the head of the city's military administration, said on Telegram.
Context of the Conflict
Strategic Importance of Sumy and Balakliia
Sumy, near the Russian border, has been a frequent Russian target in an area where Moscow says it wants to establish a buffer zone.
Balakliia, located in Kharkiv region, was captured by Russian forces in the early weeks of Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbour, but retaken by Ukrainian troops in a large counteroffensive later in the year.
Missile Attack on Kyiv
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv had come under a Russian missile attack earlier in the evening, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, but there was no indication of casualties or damage.
Claims and Denials
Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting civilians in the war.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski, Editing by Franklin Paul and Nia Williams)
