Russian strikes on hospital kills seven

In a tragic incident on Saturday, two Russian missile strikes on a hospital in the Ukrainian city of Sumy resulted in the deaths of seven individuals, according to local authorities.

Sumy, located near the border with Russia’s Kursk region, has been a focal point since Kyiv launched a surprise offensive on August 6, aiming to establish a “buffer zone” within Russian territory.

The first strike reportedly killed one person and caused significant damage to several floors of the hospital, prompting an evacuation of patients and staff, as noted by Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klymenko on Telegram. “As patients were being evacuated, the enemy struck again,” Klymenko reported.

Initial reports indicated six fatalities, but the regional administration later updated the toll to seven dead and 12 seriously injured. Russian forces have been known to target the same location multiple times to maximize harm.

Ukraine’s National Police condemned the dual attacks as a “cynical assault,” revealing that one police officer was killed and another injured. They specified that both strikes involved attack drones, targeting the hospital and nearby residential areas.

According to regional prosecutors, the first strike occurred around 7:35 am local time (0435 GMT), hitting the hospital, which had 86 patients and 38 staff members present. The second strike came at approximately 8:25 am (0525 GMT) while rescue operations were underway and patients were being evacuated.

Images shared by the National Police depicted severe damage to the four-story hospital, with stretchers discarded outside and cars damaged. Local news outlet Suspilne released photos showing several bodies on the pavement and significant destruction to the hospital’s roof.

Dobrobat, a volunteer organization dedicated to repairing damaged structures, reported that its members were on-site when the second strike hit. They shared videos of thick smoke, explosions, and people scrambling for safety as sirens blared.

One volunteer, filming the chaos, stated, “People are just lying on the street dead,” expressing disbelief at their survival: “We were lucky to take shelter in a building entrance just in time.”

Sumy serves as the central city in its namesake region, which shares borders with several Russian territories, including Kursk.