ASTRA: Two killed, nine injured as Russian guided bombs hit Sumy

Russian forces struck the Ukrainian city of Sumy with four guided aerial bombs on September 29, killing two people and injuring nine others, including three children, according to Ukrainian authorities.

ASTRA reported that the school, residential buildings, cemetery and church were among the sites damaged in the attacks.

One of the bombs struck a school while classes were underway. Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, said about 70 children and staff members were in a shelter at the time of the attack.

“About 70 children and staff members were in the shelter. That is what protected them. The school building was severely damaged,” Hryhorov said.

Two other strikes hit private residential houses in different parts of the city. Rescuers recovered the bodies of two people from the rubble — a 70-year-old woman and a 74-year-old man. Two private houses were completely destroyed.

One of the guided aerial bombs also struck the grounds of the Central City Cemetery. More than 50 graves and monuments were damaged, while windows in a church were shattered.

“Today, nine people were injured, including three children. Dozens of residential buildings, educational institutions, other civilian facilities and vehicles were damaged. The enemy attacks the regional centre with guided aerial bombs almost every day. Since the beginning of the year, Russia has carried out more than 150 strikes on the city of Sumy alone. Guided aerial bombs remain one of the most severe and difficult threats to border regions,” Hryhorov said.

Earlier reports put the number of injured at six, but Ukraine’s State Emergency Service later revised the figure to nine.

By Tamilla Hasanova