Nine people lost their lives in twin Russian drone strikes on a hospital in the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to Ukrainian officials. The hospital was targeted on Saturday morning and struck again as rescuers were evacuating individuals. At least 12 others sustained injuries in the attack, which ravaged several floors of the hospital and triggered a fire.
Ukraine’s state emergency service (DSNS) reported that 122 people were evacuated from the site. The Saint Panteleimon hospital, located about 30km from the Russian border, was hit by Shahed kamikaze drones. Dozens of patients and staff were inside at the time of the strikes.
Among those killed were a nurse and a police officer who were aiding in the evacuation efforts. The drone strikes partially destroyed three floors and the roof of the four-storey hospital. Firefighters managed to contain the fire that ensued.
Nearby residential buildings also suffered damage due to the strikes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, urging global attention on Russia’s repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure and people’s lives.
Russia’s defence ministry did not comment on the reported hospital strikes but claimed its forces had struck several Ukrainian brigades in the Sumy region in its latest update.
Sumy has been under near-daily Russian attacks in recent weeks, as it borders Russia’s Kursk region. The strikes occurred just a day after Zelensky’s meetings with US leaders, including President Joe Biden, to discuss military aid and pressure on Russia for a diplomatic resolution.